Hydro-Physicochemical Quality and Microbial Safety of Water Used by Food Vendors in Oke-Owa, Ogun, Southwestern Nigeria: Implications for WASH, Hydrological Vulnerability, and Public Health

Inadequate hygiene and unsafe water in informal food-vending areas present serious public-health hazards particularly in the fast-urbanizing areas of Nigeria.

In this paper, the hydro-physicochemical quality, microbial contamination and hygienic determinants of the water sources used by 100 food vendors were evaluated in Oke-Owa Community, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

The samples of water collected at five widespread sources of vendors were evaluated in terms of pH, TDS, alkalinity, hardness, ORP, ions, and heavy metals by using the standard guidelines of American Public Health Association.

E. coli, Salmonella spp, and total count of coliform was measured using microbiological tests.

The findings indicated that the water was very acidic (pH 4.00 – 4.50), low TDS (21.5 – 30 ppm), zero alkalinity, low traces of hardness, and high ORP (159 – 232 mV) meaning that it had high oxidizing capacity and low buffering capacity.

Contamination with microorganisms was extreme: E. coli was detected in 74 5 percent of samples, Salmonella spp. in 68 percent and the average TCC of 8.36 ± 2.03 × 10 CFU/mL.

Logistic regression revealed that training of vendors and access to clean water were significantly associated with compliance to hygiene.

The result of Principal Component Analysis revealed three behavioral domains that include personal hygiene, cross-contamination control, and environmental sanitation.

Results point to hydrological instability, inadequate water governance, and water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) deficits that all increase health vulnerabilities.

The adoption of the World Health Organization Water Safety Plan strategies is vital in protecting the health of the people in informal markets.