"Water Quality Testing in Tourou, Cameroon"
Tourou, Cameroon, is a rural community of over 50,000 farmers located in the Mandara Mountains. Located in the arid Extreme North province, Tourou lacks public services such as paved roads, electricity, piped water, and secondary schools. The absence of infrastructure perpetuates a cycle of limited economic opportunities and poor community health.
Over the summer of 2007, students tested wells and surface water sources in the community for contamination from human waste to create a map of water quality throughout Tourou. The primary research goal was to determine the most efficient way to allocate health resources within Tourou. Coupled with a random sampling of household drinking water quality tests, these source data determine the amount of contamination occurring in the household. The results will be used to more effectively focus health education campaigns and set up points for water filter distribution in high-risk areas.
Water in Tourou is supplied exclusively by wells and seasonal surface water sources. A needs assessment performed in 2005 by the Peace Corps identified water shortages and poor water quality as the largest community needs. UVA students have collaborated with community organizations and the US Peace Corps since 2006 to address the lack of improved drinking water in the community. Although over half of the population is estimated to use pit latrines for sanitation, the rest of the population lacks access to improved sanitation services. This exacerbates the water quality problems in the home, as contaminated hands, containers, cups, and other objects contaminate household water supplies with pathogenic organisms. Diarrhea is widespread and related to water and food-related pathogens. Only a low percentage of families have reported attempting to treat their drinking, washing, or cooking water.
Water samples were collected from community water sources and a representative random sample of households throughout Tourou. To gather the water quality data, Coliscan Easygel bacterial tests were used. These tests are produced by Micrology Laboratories and consist of a pretreated Petri dish and a specially formulated growth medium that enables identification of E. coli and general coliform bacteria through a series of enzymatic reactions that produce a species-specific color change.