International Science Community Association International Research Journal of Biological Sciences 2278-3202 11 4 2022 11 10 Hygiene practices and indicators of faecal pollution of groundwater supplying populations living around Lake Toho in South-West Benin 13 22 EN Omeonu Francis Chukwumma 1 Mycology & Applied Microbiology Unit, Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Salami Adeola Temitope 2 Gastrointestinal Secretion and Inflammatory Research Unit, Department of Physiology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria Azuh Victor Okechukwu 3 Genetics Unit, Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Laba S.A. 4 Department of Microbiology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin Kwara State, Nigeria Mishra Atmaja Elina 1 Regional Plant Resource Centre, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India Acharya Rupa 2 Regional Plant Resource Centre, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India Gupta Nibha 3 Regional Plant Resource Centre, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India Adeke Hermione M.A. 1 Lab. of Inorganic Chemistry and Environment (LACIE), University of Abomey-Calavi, Abomey-Calavi, Benin Chouti Waris K. 2 Lab. of Inorganic Chemistry and Environment (LACIE), University of Abomey-Calavi, Abomey-Calavi, Benin Boya Bawa 3 Lab. of Biology and Molecular Typing in Microbiology, University of Abomey-Calavi, Abomey-Calavi, Benin Sina Haziz 4 Lab. of Biology and Molecular Typing in Microbiology, University of Abomey-Calavi, Abomey-Calavi, Benin Moussa Lamine Baba- 5 Lab. of Biology and Molecular Typing in Microbiology, University of Abomey-Calavi, Abomey-Calavi, Benin > Research Paper 2022 10 3 2022 11 10 The objective of this work is to examine the microbiological quality of groundwater intended for consumption around Lake Toho while identifying the risks of contamination associated with it. To do this, nineteen (19) water samples, i.e. five wells and fourteen boreholes, were analyzed by the seeding method. Also, we carried out a field survey which focused on nine villages in the three districts (Houin, Zoungbonou and Lokossa) located near the lake. The villages are chosen taking into account the degree of vulnerability of the populations, according to human activities (agriculture, market gardening and fishing) and proximity to the watercourse. The results obtained showed that all the waters analyzed were contaminated by common germs. 37% of the water revealed contamination with E. coli, 26% with shigella. These results show recent faecal contamination of water. Similarly, more than half of the water, or 53%, showed non-compliance with respect to total coliforms, which would indicate old faecal contamination. The germs present in the waters degrade the quality of the water and thus expose the population that consumes it to several waterborne diseases. Drinking water must be free of any presence of these germs in general according to the recommendations of the WHO and the standard of drinking water in Benin, the water analyzed would all be unfit for human consumption. Adequate treatment and regular monitoring must be applied to guarantee the good health of the populations. Copyright@ International Science Community Association