ABSTRACT
In many regions, especially in developing countries, domestic water systems face numerous challenges related to water quality, handling, and storage. In this study, the quality of domestic storage water in the area of Ugbowo, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria is assessed to identify sources of contamination in the water storages and identify problems with their handling practices. Focusing on three of the most common methods of storing domestic water in the area, concrete reservoirs, metal tanks, and elevated plastic tanks, three samples of water were collected from each of these storage methods. In order to identify the sources of contamination in these domestic water storage methods, laboratory tests and analysis were carried out on each of the collected water samples.
The results from the analysis which includes the physicochemical and biological characteristics of the water samples were compared to the standards of World Health Organization (WHO), Nigeria Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) and National Agency for Food & Drug Administration & Control (NAFDAC). The findings from the laboratory tests and analysis shed light on the variations in water quality among the different storage methods and reveal sources of contamination unique to each of the storage methods..
Furthermore, outlines on improvements in handling the storage methods were provided in accordance with the analysis results and measures aimed at reducing contamination associated with each of the storage methods were provided. The results presented in this project have significant implications on public health and community well-being. It shows the importance of safeguarding water within household storage systems and provides practical solutions for maintaining domestic water quality in these storages.
