Current Research Journal of Biological Sciences 2(6): 361-364, 2010 ISSN: 2041-0778 © Maxwell Scientific Organization, 2010 Submitted date: May 26, 2010 Accepted date: June 23, 2010 Published date: November 25, 2010 Corresponding Author: L.A. Adetunde, Department of Applied Biology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University for Development Studies, Navrongo Campus, Navrongo, Ghana 361 Bacteriological Quality of Borehole Water Used by Students ’ of University for Development Studies, Navrongo Campus in Upper-East Region of Ghana L.A. Adetunde and R.L.K. Glover Department of Applied Biology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University for Development Studies, Navrongo Campus, Navrongo, Ghana Abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the bacteriological quality of borehole water used by the students’ of University for Development Studies, Navrongo Campus, Upper East Region of Ghana. Borehole water samples from different locations within the University for Development Studies, Navrongo campus of Upper East Region of Ghana were collected for four consecutive weeks for bacteriological analysis to assess the wholesomeness. Pour plate method and multiple tube fermentation methods were used to determine heterotrophic bacterial viable counts and coliform bacterial counts respectively. For total viable bacterial counts of the samples the range of the mean was from 1.50x10 4 to 5.90x10 4 cfu/mL, 0 to 17 MPN/100 mL for total coliform bacteria and 0 to 4.07 MPN/100 mL. The highest counts were consistently found in the sample BW where the borehole was located in an unsanitary environment near septic tank. The findings show that the water samples except those from SSNIT hall did not meet the WHO for drinking and domestic water and should be treated or boiled and filtered before drinking. Key words: Borehole water, faecal coliforms, Ghana, Kassena-Nankana District, Navrongo, total coliforms, upper east region INTRODUCTION Water is indispensably and intricately connected to life without which there is no life. This is the reason for which water must be given the necessary attention at all times. Good drinking water is not a luxury; it is one of the most essential amenities of life itself. The supply of safe drinking water to all has therefore engaged the attention of many individual, groups, governmental organisation and private. Safe drinking water is the priority of all people. Micro-organisms play a major role in water quality and the micro-organisms that concern with water borne diseases are Salmonella sp., Shigella sp., Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholera (Birmingham et al., 1997). All these cause typhoid fever, diarrhoea, dysentery, gastroenteritis, cholera. Other agents of water borne diseases are protozoan of diarrhoea- Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia , Balantidium coli (Jawetz et al., 1991) and Cryptococcus pervum (Kelly et al., 1997) Enteroviruses of various clinical ailment- Polivirus, Rotavirus, Hepatitis A virus (Hejkal et al., 1982) and Hepatitis E virus (Benjelloun et al., 1997). The most dangerous form of water pollution occurs when faeces enter the water supply. Many diseases are perpetuated by the faecal-oral route of transmission in which the pathogens are shed only in human faeces (Tortora et al., 1998). Presence of faecal coliforms of E. coli is used as an indicator for the presence of any of these water borne pathogens Chukwural, 2001; Okpokwasili and Akujobi, 1996; Okafor, 1985). To maintain good health (Cheesbrough, 2000) stated that water should be of good quality and quantity meeting local and WHO recommended standards of taste, odour and appearance. The people of the Upper-East Region of Ghana depend on the groundwater through borehole and hand- dung wells or processed water from Ghana Water Company Limited. The people of Kassena-Nankana District is no exception because 70.8% of them depend on groundwater. The students of University for Development Studies located in the Navrongo of the District also depend on groundwater through borehole and treated water from Ghana Water Company Limited. The borehole water is the mainly used by the students. Although a student of this university have accessed the borehole water quality and tap water some years ago and it was proven that borehole water had a high coliform loads with a statistical proven that about 39% of the students were affected with water related diseases precisely typhoid fever within the month of October 2005. This implies that the Institution’s borehole is contaminated with high level of bacteria for a couple of years now. This comprehensively boils down to say that the water sources on the university campus may be potables, it may not