BACTERIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF SACHET WATER SOLD AT ADAMAWA STATE UNIVERSITY, MUBI COMMERCIAL

Access to microbiologically safe drinking water remains a critical public health challenge in Nigeria. Sachet water has become a primary source of drinking water for many urban and academic populations, but concerns about its quality and compliance with safety standards are widespread. This study aimed to evaluate the bacteriological quality and safety of sachet water sold at Adamawa State University, Mubi Commercial, by assessing faecal contamination, isolating bacteria present, and determining their antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. A total of twelve (12) sachet water samples from different brands were collected. The Most Probable Number (MPN) technique was used to quantify faecal coliforms. Bacteria were isolated using standard culture methods on Nutrient Agar and identified based on cultural, morphological, and biochemical characteristics. The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was employed to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates against 14 antibiotics following European Committee on Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) guidelines/breakpoints. Physical examination revealed 100% non-compliance with essential labeling requirements, as no sample displayed production and expiry dates or batch number. Bacteriological analysis showed that 83.33% (10/12) of the samples were contaminated with faecal coliforms (Escherichia coli), with MPN values ranging from 7 to 20 per 100ml. A total of 28 bacterial isolates were identified, comprising Escherichia coli (71.43%), Staphylococcus aureus (21.43%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (7.14%). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed high resistance rates among the isolates. All E. coli isolates were resistant to Augmentin, and all S. aureus isolates were resistant to Erythromycin. However, all isolates remained susceptible to Gentamicin, Levofloxacin, and Ofloxacin. The findings indicate that the majority of sachet water sold at Adamawa State University, Mubi Commercial, is contaminated with faecal matter and other bacteria, rendering it unfit for human consumption. The high prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria presents an additional public health risk. There is an urgent need for stricter regulatory oversight, enforcement of standard manufacturing practices, antimicrobial resistance surveillance and public awareness campaigns to protect consumer health. There is also a need to conduct further research on heavy metals and viral contaminants to ascertain complete contamination profile.