Bacteriological Analysis of Communal Pump-Well Drinking Water in Linao East, Tuguegarao City: A Basis for Community Health and Sanitation Programs

This study investigated the bacteriological quality of drinking pump wells in Barangay Linao East, Tuguegarao City, focusing on the presence of fecal coliforms in 9 wells selected from a total of 33 functional wells.The wells included both private and communal sources, and data on pump-well characteristics-such as type, year of construction, number of household users, and proximity to potential contamination sources-were collected.Bacteriological analysis was conducted using the Multiple Tube Fermentation Technique, with fecal coliform levels exceeding 1.1 MPN/100 mL classified as unsafe for drinking.Results showed that 33.3% of analyzed wells failed to meet bacteriological safety standards, posing potential health risks to dependent households.A Chi-square test of independence revealed a statistically significant association between pump-well type and water safety (χ² = 5.06, df = 1, p = 0.024).Post-hoc power analysis indicated a medium-to-large effect size (w = 0.75) with an achieved power of 61%, reflecting a moderate probability of detecting a true association due to the small sample size.To further evaluate the structural relationship between pump-well conditions and bacterial water quality, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed, allowing the assessment of direct effects of well characteristics on contamination levels within a unified analytical framework.Findings underscore the critical role of well construction, maintenance, and environmental sanitation in ensuring water safety, highlighting the need for regular monitoring, disinfection, and community awareness initiatives to protect public health.