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ABSTRACT
Sachet water, more popularly known as pure water, is water packaged in electrically sealed 50ml nylon. This study was carried out to determine the bacteriological quality of such water and to find out if the water is safe for human consumption. 10 samples of sachet water were purchased from various shopping complexes in Uniben: Life Sciences shopping complex, Physical Sciences shopping complex, Ekosodin back gate, June 12 complex, and main gate shopping complex. All the samples were clear and odourless and has pH readings ranging between 5.7 and 7.8. The samples were then inoculated on nutrient agar and macConkey agar. The heterotrophic plate count of the bacteriological analysis ranged from 8 cfu/ml to 54 cfu/ml on nutrient agar, while no bacterial growth was on the macConkey agar. The results obtained revealed the isolation of 6 bacterial isolates which include: Bacillus spp., Lactobacillus spp., Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aereus, Lactobacillus spp., and Bacillus spp. These bacteria are all opportunistic pathogens, which means that they are normally harmless but can cause disease when the host’s resistance is lowered. Hence, sachet water sold in Uniben was confirmed to be contaminated with bacteria that pose a public health risk. Quality control during processing and packaging should be improved.
