Assessment of water quality of the selected recreational swimming pools in Umuahia Metropolis, Southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

This Study was conducted on the selected public swimming pools in Umuahia for water quality assurance for recreation. Water samples  were randomly taken from five swimming pools during October – December, 2020, from five hotels: Damgrete (SWP1), Confidence  (SWP2), Villa Roy (SWP3), Wiss Castle (SWP4), and Benac Hotels (SWP5), respectively. The study evaluated the physicochemical and  microbial properties of the swimming pools. The media applied for the study were MacConkey agar, nutrient agar, Salmonella-Shigella  agar, eosin methylene blue agar, Sabouraud dextrose agar, thiosulphate citrate bile salt sucrose agar for total aerobic plate count; coli  form count, Escherichia coli count, Salmonella-Shigella count, Vibrio cholerae count and fungal count respectively. Bacterial isolates  identified by using standard microbiological techniques to include Gram staining and biochemical tests. The fungal isolates identified  using the needle mount technique. Data were analyzed using variance and mean separation by Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at  P<0.05. From the results, the Average temperature for the pools in Umuahia was 24.75 0C. The average turbidity of the swimming pools  was 3.0±0.08 turbidity >the 0.5–1.0 NTU world health (WHO) permissible limit. The mean pH of the swimming pools recorded 6.82±0.06- indicating moderate acidic against the pH 7.2-7.8 WHO limit for swimming pool. Total chlorine in some selected pools ranged between  3.15 ±0.21-3.25 ±0.07 mg/l above the <3 WHO limit. The percentage of bacteria prevalence in the selected swimming pools indicated 14%  for P.aeruginosa, Bacillus sp, Citrobacter sp, Enterobacter sp each, 19% S.aureus, and 24% Klebsiella sp. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was  dominant in the swimming pools followed by Total faecal coli form, total aerobic plate count and Escherichia coli being the least and were  below the WHO limits respectively. Regular monitoring and testing of the pool water chemistry will ensure a low-cost maintenance    sparkling and clean swimming pool all the year round.