International Journal of Research and Review Vol.7; Issue: 4; April 2020 Website: www.ijrrjournal.com Original Research Article E-ISSN: 2349-9788; P-ISSN: 2454-2237 International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 406 Vol.7; Issue: 4; April 2020 Water Supply and Bacteriological Qualities of Drinking Water in Primary Schools of North Central Nigeria Amadi, C.O.A. 1 , Yakubu, M.B. 2 , Iro, O.K. 3 , Azuamah, Y.C. 4 , Amadi, A.N. 1 , Ukah, A. 2 1 Department of Public Health, Federal University of Technology, Owerri 2 Environmental Health Council of Nigeria, Abuja 3 Department of Public Health, Abia State University Uturu 4 Department of Optometry, Federal University of Technology, Owerri Corresponding Author: Amadi, C.O.A ABSTRACT Adequate water supply and potable drinking water are essential for all growing children. This study was carried out to investigate the water supply and bacteriological qualities of drinking water in primary schools located at North central Nigeria. One thousand five hundred and fourteen water samples were collected from 48 schools located at North central Nigeria. A well- structured questionnaire was used to interview 1,514 primary school children with the consent of their parents. Results that 1066 (70.4%) children had access to drinking water while 448 (29.6%) did not. The sources of drinking water was 383 (25.3%) from piped water; 463 (30.6%), tube well; 131 (8.7%) covered well; 27 (1.8%), rain water; 11 (0.7%) open well; 18 (1.2%) tanker truck; 24 (1.6%) stream; 246 (16.2%) bottled water and 104 (6.9%) sachet water. On the utilization of water supply, 1004 (66.3%), responded that drinking from the main source is currently available for the school while 510 (33.7%) said it is not available. The response to treatment of water showed that 623 (41.1%) always treat their water before using it; 361 (23.8%) sometimes; 530 (35.1%), never; 697 (46%) responded to boiling; 354 (23.4%), chlorine; 285 (18.8%), water filter; 99 (6.5%) solar disinfection; 79 (5.2%) let it stand and settle. The distribution of the bacterial isolates from water samples showed that Staphylococcus aureus has the greatest number of isolates with 319 (21.1%); Escherichia coli with 76 (12.3%) occurrence. Klebsiella pneumoniae had 200 (13.2%) isolates; Enterobacter species had 76 (5.0%) isolates; Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 162 (10.7%); Salmonella species, 56 (3.7%) and Shigella species, 94 (6.2%). It was recommended that Governmental agencies ensure that every school complies with the provision of potable drinking water for their pupils. Keywords: Water, Potable, Bacteria, Microorganism, Disease INTRODUCTION Water supply is the provision by public utilities, commercial organizations, community endeavors or by individuals of water, usually by a system of pumps and pipes. An adequate supply of clean water is a prerequisite for sustaining human life, maintaining ecological systems and for achieving sustainable development. [1] For a large percentage of the world's population, drinking water supplies and sanitation services are neither safe nor adequate. Currently, over 1 billion people do not have access to an adequate supply of safe water for household consumption and nearly 3 billion lack a sanitary means of excreta disposal. [2] The provision of safe water and the management of wastewater have had a central role in reducing the incidence of many waterborne or water-related communicable diseases. One of the major achievements of the past 150 years is the extent to which diseases associated with