Appraising the effects of storage periods on the quality of sachet and pet-bottled waters consumed within a Nigerian University Campus

Abstract

Consumption of clean potable water is essential to public human health. This study was piloted to appraise the effects of prolonged storage periods at normal room temperature on the physico-chemical quality of two popular brands of packaged water (sachet and bottled) consumed by staff and students of Federal University in Southwest, Nigeria. Sachet and bottled water samples were collected within 24 hours of production and stored for different periods. Thirty two samples of water brands (pet-bottled and sachet) were collected and analyzed using standard physico-chemical methods to determine the concentrations and behavior of various water quality parameters over the storage periods. The outcomes obtained revealed that most of the physico-chemical variables were within the allowable limits set by the World Health Organization and Standard Organization of Nigeria for drinking water throughout the storage durations. Higher values of biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand (above threshold limits) were conspicuously recorded for 2 weeks, 1-month, 2-month and 3-month storage samples, which indicated no effective quality control scheme. However, computed water quality index values for prolonged stored samples denote satisfactory status for drinking purpose. Relevant regulatory agencies should ensure that packaged water factories unceasingly complied with standard water treatment processes for improved public health in the study location.