A Multidisciplinary Assessment of Microbial Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance in Borehole Water from a Sub-Saharan African University Campus

Ensuring microbiological safety in groundwater sources remains a significant public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, where borehole water is widely relied upon for domestic and institutional use. This study conducted a multidisciplinary assessment of the microbial quality and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles of borehole water from Madonna University, Elele, Rivers State, Nigeria. Fifteen samples were collected from diverse campus locations and analyzed using both culture-based and molecular techniques. Physicochemical parameters including pH (6.5–7.4), turbidity (<1.5 NTU), total dissolved solids (<210 mg/L), and nitrate levels (<6.2 mg/L) complied with World Health Organization (WHO) standards, indicating chemical potability. However, microbiological analyses revealed widespread contamination. Total heterotrophic bacterial counts ranged from 1.2 × 10² to 8.5 × 10³ CFU/mL, with all samples testing positive for total and fecal coliforms, thereby violating WHO’s zero-tolerance threshold. Pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter cloacae, were isolated. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed extensive multidrug resistance (MDR), particularly to ampicillin, tetracycline, and ceftriaxone, while ciprofloxacin remained consistently effective. These findings demonstrate the paradox of chemically compliant yet microbiologically unsafe groundwater, with significant implications for campus health and environmental AMR dissemination. The study highlights the urgent need for integrated water safety interventions, including point-of-use disinfection, routine microbial and AMR monitoring, improved borehole construction standards, and community health education. By situating its findings within the WHO’s One Health framework, this research underscores the environmental dimensions of AMR and provides a replicable model for institutional water governance and policy development in resource-limited settings.