Abstract:
Access to safe water is one of the necessities for human beings for drinking and Hygiene Sanitation practices. Lack of safe and adequate water supply causes health risk and the
situation is serious in developing countries like Ethiopia .Despite the drinking water
supply in Addis Zemen town was from a borehole through pipes, a high incidence of
waterborne diseases was frequently reported. The objective of this study was to assess the
bacteriological and physicochemical quality of drinking water and hygiene-sanitation
practices of the consumers in Addis Zemen Town. A total of 126 samples were collected
randomly from boreholes, reservoir, taps, and household storage containers for
bacteriological and physicochemical drinking water quality analysis from March to April
2022 for dry season and July to August 2022 for witer season, and the hygiene and
sanitation practices of 30 customers were assessed using interviews. Total and fecal
coliforms were anlysed using membrane filtration while selected physicochemical
parameters were determined using standard methods. 80.9% (102/126) of drinking water
samples were positive for total coliforms (TC), and 61.9% (87/126) of water samples were
positive for faecal coliforms (FC) and did not satisfied WHO guidelines and Ethiopian
standards for drinking water quality. There were statistically significant differences in
both TC and FC coliforms among sampling sites and seasons. All physico-chemical
parameters were satisfied values recommended by WHO except temperature and residual
chlorine. The sanitary condition of water source and hygiene and sanitation practices of
customers at household level were poor. Appropriate management of drinking water
sources, proper disinfection of raw water with chlorine, and promoting good hygiene and
sanitation practices are recommended to deliver safe drinking water to the consumers of
the study area.
Keywords: Bacteriological, hygiene- sanitation, physico-chemical, water quality,