DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY PUBLIC

HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE

FACULTY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA

PUBLIC HEALTH CLINICS

WATER QUALITY TESTING PRACTICAL REPORT

INSTRUCTOR: DR. M.B. ALIYU

BY
GROUP THREE (3C)
GROUP MEMBERS:
Names Reg. No.

1. Kabiru Usman KABIRU U15VM1073

2. Sherif ADAMU U15VM1074

3. Saffiyya Ibrahim MAUDE U15VM1076

4. Arziki Pakka ELIJAH U15VM1077

5. Iliyasu MUHAMMED U15VM1079

6. Bilyaminu Tikwajirive SHUAIBU U15VM1087

7. Maryam Suleiman IBRAHIM U15VM1090

8. Khalid Lawal MUSA U15VM1091

9. Hassan MUHAMMAD U15VM1095

WATER QUALITY TESTING
SOURCE OF WATER SAMPLE: TAP WATER

TECHNIQUE USED: TUBE METHOD

TEST CARRIED OUT: PRESUMPTIVE TEST

The presumptive test is a preliminary screening method used to detect the presence of
coliform organisms in water samples. In this test, the water sample is inoculated in lactose
broth containing a Durham vial. If coliforms are present, they utilize lactose to produce acid
and gas, indicated by a color change and gas bubbles in an inverted Durham vial.

The presumptive test is considered qualitative and quantitative. It is considered qualitative

because it indicates whether coliform organisms are present or not. It can become
quantitative when the test is incorporated with the Most Probable Number [MPN] table.

PRINCIPLE

The principle of the presumptive test in water quality testing is based on the detection of
coliform bacteria, which are indicators of fecal contamination. If present, coliforms will
ferment lactose to produce acid and gas. The production of acid leads to a color change in
the medium, while gas production is observed as bubbles in an inverted Durham tube

PROCEDURE

● Three sets of test tubes containing 10 mls of lactose broth and inverted Durham vials
were inoculated with 10 mls, 1 ml and 0.1ml of the water sample.
● Prior to inoculation, we checked to make sure that no air was trapped in the Durham
vials.
● The samples were incubated at 37 °C for 48 hours.

RESULT

Gas production in the Durham tube

5 tubes inoculated with 10 ml of the sample = 2

5 tubes inoculated with 1 ml of the sample = 2

5 tubes inoculated with 0.1 ml of the sample = 0

From the table, the 2-2-0 positive test tube has an MPN reading of 9

LOWER LIMIT: 2

HIGHER LIMIT: 21