Occurrence, Resistance Profile and Molecular Characterization of Faecal Bacteria in Public and Private Wells in Paiko, Niger State

Well water has become a main source of water supply for both drinking and domestic use in many rural and urban areas in Nigeria due to inadequate provision of potable pipe-borne water. This study determined the occurrence and resistance profile of faecal coliform bacteria in public and private wells in Paiko, Niger State. A total of 60 water samples (32 private and 28 public wells) were collected and analysed using standard microbiological methods. Isolates were identified by biochemical tests and confirmed by 16S rRNA sequencing, while antibiotic susceptibility was determined using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. Overall, 36 (60.0%) of the well water samples were positive for faecal coliforms, with prevalence rates of 56.3% and 64.3% in private and public wells, respectively. Mean faecal coliform counts were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in private wells (8.48 ± 1.95 × 10⁴ CFU/mL) than in public wells (6.58 ± 1.32 × 10⁴ CFU/mL). Identified isolates included Klebsiella pneumoniae (33.8%), Enterobacter aerogenes (27.7%), Escherichia coli (21.5%), Citrobacter cronae (16.9%), and Proteus spp. (3.1%). High resistance was observed to Cephalexin (35.7–100%), Ampicillin (18.2–50%) and Augmentin (22.2–45.5%), while strong susceptibility was noted for meropenem, ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, streptomycin, and erythromycin. The findings of this study show significant faecal contamination and antimicrobial resistance risks in both public and private well water obtained from Paiko community of Niger State, thus emphasizing the need for improved water quality monitoring, proper sanitation practices, and antibiotic stewardship in the study area.