tatistical weight quality of sachet water a case study of sachet water companies in Barnawa metropolis Kaduna south, Kaduna state.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.0 Background of the study Water is a basic requirement for life, water is said to be of good quality if it is odourless, colourless, tasteless and free from biological pollutant (Omalu et al., 2010). An average man (of 53-63kg body weight) required about three litres of water and food daily to maintain healthy living (Onweluzo and Akuagbazie, 2010) this obvious fact account for why water is regarded as one of the most indispensable substances in life. However, despite it over whelming importance and it relative abundance in nature like air, good quality drinking water is not readily available to man. The supply of clean source of water is very necessary in order to promote healthy living among the inhabitant of any defined geographical location. However, the standard model for provision and reliable delivery of safe drinking water is not readily affordable in many developing countries of the world (Dada, 2008). In Nigeria water supply used to be free during the colonial era, but the nation has since undergone a transition from being a mixed economy to a capitalist economy, so water supply now attracts rate and fees in most cities and towns in Nigeria today (Edema et al.,2011). Negligence on the part of Nigerian government and insufficient investment in public infrastructure has left the public drinking water supply in Nigeria in an unreliable state (Dada, 2008). With the insufficient supply of water by government, the private sector participation has evolved and idea of package drinking water popularly referred to as pure water or sachet water, is now a common phenomenon in the country. This drinking water is packed in an easy to open polyethylene leather (Edema et al, 2011). At present there is an astronomic increase in sales and consumption of sachet drinking water over bottle water, as it is an improvement over the former types of drinking water packaged for sale to consumers in hand filled and tied polythene bags, it is less expensive and also believed to be of high quality and spring drinking offers a heavy refreshing and exacting test when compared with most calorie soft drinks and ordinary tap water (Oyedeji et al., 2009). Water apart from being absolutely essential for life, is the most common, most widely distributed and most useful liquid on earth. It is the most precious natural resource that exist on our planet (Musa, et al; 2008). Two third of the human body weight is made up of water attaining forty-five percent in the average adult. The brain is eighty-five percent water, muscles contain seventy-five percent water, and bones thirty-three percent (Akpan, 1998). As a result of the significance of water in physiological systems, it is difficult to survive long without water (Longdet, et al; 2004). Accessibility and availability of fresh clean water is a key to sustainable development and an essential element in health, food production and poverty reduction (Adekunle, 2004). However, an estimated 1.2 billion people around the world lack access to safe water and close to 2.5 billion are not provided with adequate sanitation (Third World Water Forum on Water, 2003). Water of good drinking quality is of basic importance to human physiology and man’s continued existence depends very much on its availability. An average man (of 53 kg – 63 kg body weight), requires about 3 litres of water in liquid and food daily to keep healthy (Wardlow et. al., 2004). This fact accounts for why water is regarded as one of the most indispensable substances in life. However, despite its relative abundance in some parts of the world, good quality drinking water is not readily available to consumers in some part of the globe. Unavailability of good quality drinking water is wide spread and this has serious health implications. Accessibility and availability of fresh clean water is a key to sustainable development and an essential element in for increase in good and food production (Adekunle et. al., 2004). However, an estimated 1.2 billion people around the world lack access to safe water and close to 2.5 billion persons are not provided with adequate sanitation (Third World Water Forum on Water, 2003). In developing nations of the world, 80% of all diseases and over 30% of deaths are related to drinking water (Dada and Ntukekpo, 1997). Sachet water can be referred to as ready to drink packed and machine-sealed water. This water is referred to as “pure water” by many of the locals in Nigeria and other African neighbouring countries like Ghana, Togo etc. Sachet water is also sold in hand filled, hand-tied plastic bags. This is locally referred to as “ice water” (Stockholm Environment Institute, 1993). Machine-sealed sachet water that is produced in industries is referred to as factory- produced, while that produced by manually filling plastic bags with water and knotting the water-filled bags is referred to as “hand-tied” sachet water. The main source of the sachet water is water from borehole. Sachet water produced in small scale industries is mainly treated by aeration, double or single filtration using porcelain molecular candle filter or membrane filters and in rare instances, disinfection is applied. The level of treatment generally depends on the source of water. Water to be used for human consumption must meet certain requirements. It must be free of all disease causing microorganisms, low in concentration of compounds that are acutely toxic or that have serious long term effect on health. Ideally, water for drinking should be clear, free of odour and compound that can cause colour or taste. Drinking water from the ground is obtained by drilling boreholes and shallow wells through the existing water table to form a well point. In certain regions of Africa, as the water percolates through the soil, harmful physical, biological and chemical constituents (e.g. fine suspended matter, faecal coliform and fluoride) become contained in the water making it unsuitable for human consumption. The quality of drinking water has attracted great attention worldwide because of implied public health impacts. Sachet packaged drinking water is very common in Nigeria. It is often found as a major source of water at food canteens and sold by many food vendors in the country. The majority of the population consume it, hence the need to ascertain the qualities of sachet and borehole water in order to safeguard the health of consumers. Many common and widespread health risks have been found to be associated with drinking water in developing countries, a large percentage of which are of biological origin. Unsafe water, poor sanitation and poor hygiene have been reported to rank third among the 20 leading risk factors for health burden in developing countries including Nigeria (Ademoroti, 1996). The guidelines for quality drinking water are intended for use by countries as a basis for the development of national standards which if properly implemented will ensure the safety of drinking water (W.H.O, 2006). Sachet water has gained popularity and has been embraced by the populace because it is cheap, ready to drink and always available. But the question is, how consistent is the weight quality of this sachet water sold for consumption? Thus this research work tends to analyse some selected sachet water to test if they weight quality are consistent with one another in different locality. 1.1 Statement of the problem Accessibility and availability of fresh clean water is a major problem in developing nations of the world and Nigeria in particular leading to the breakout of water related diseases and deaths. Negligence and insufficient investment in public infrastructures has left public drinking water supply in Nigeria in an unreliable state which created a gap for private sector participation and investment in the supply of drinking water to the public leading to the idea of package drinking water. Essentially, the principal and primary reason for the establishment of water factories are to provide clean, cheap and readily affordable package water for the populace and to enhance the economic value of the manufacturer. Thus in effect, different companies go into this production but with much emphasis only on the chemical and biological qualities of the water in order to meet the specified standard set by the different standard organisations but less emphasis is giving to the statistical weight quality of these water sold to the public. Since the majority of the population consumed these sachet package water, the consistency in the weight quality every sachet water sold to the public is a management problem that need to be survey, evaluated and address. 1.3 Aim and objectives 1.3.1 Aim The aim of the study is to carry out a survey on the statistical weight quality of sachet water sold around Barnawa Kaduna state, Nigeria. 1.3.2 Objectives The following objectives are to be achieved by this study 1. Evaluate and determine the weight quality of different sachet water sold in Barnawa Kaduna state. 2. Evaluate the water quality management of some water producing companies in Barnawa Kaduna state. 3. Analyse the weights statistically and recommend an acceptable consistent weight for sachet water sold in Barnawa Kaduna state. 1.4 Significance of the study This research work will be of great benefit to the general public who purchase and consumes sachet water to know the acceptable statistical weight of sachet water they buy daily, it will also be of benefit to the management of water producing companies to synchronize the weight of the sachet waters they produce and also useful to different regulatory bodies who are responsible for the regulation of these companies and to academia’s who are interested in carrying out more research on this particular field of study. It is believed that this study shall be of immense value to Nigerians but primarily it is hoped that this study shall be of benefit to manufacturers, marketing firms, investors, ultimate consumers and scholars. Also, by the knowledge divulged in this study, the sachet water firms shall know the best way of meeting up characteristic features expected of their products by the potential customers. It is also hoped that this study shall be of immense value to scholars in the nearest future as it will serve as a research base or form part of researches for future studies on product packaging. Furthermore, the study will bring into fore the key requirements and the necessary steps to be taken by interested entrepreneurs who desire to invest on packaging, advertising and marketing company. Thus, this study is significant as the outcomes will contribute to a better understanding of the accepted statistical weight of sachet water and provide managers with the means to develop more effective and synchronized weight of sachet waters. 1.5 Scope of the study This research work will cover the survey of the statistical weight quality of sachet water a case study of sachet water companies in Barnawa metropolis Kaduna south, Kaduna state. 1.6 Methodology The methodology to be use for this research will be quantitative research. Data will be collected by measuring the weights of different sachet water using a weighing balance and then analyse using statistical models.