Drinking water is an absolute necessity, its quality being as important as its availability. Consumption of unsafe
drinking water contributes to the 4 million annual cases of diarrhoeal cases worldwide. This study aimed to
determine the knowledge and practices of water purification and to assess the quality of drinking water at the
point of use in a semi-urban community of Plateau State, Nigeria. A total of 368 respondents from a
corresponding number of households were selected through a multistage sampling method. Data was obtained
with the use of a semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Water samples were then obtained
from a subset of 90 households for physicochemical and microbiological analysis. A total of 368 respondents
were selected. Knowledge of water purification practice was good in 26.1% of respondents and 54% practiced
at least one method of purification in their household. Commonest method of water purification was the
addition of alum (43.3%).Relationship between water purification and occurrence of diarrhoea in children was
found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). Physicochemical parameters were essentially normal for obtained
water samples with coliforms detected in 40% of the samples. Health education messages and household water
treatment interventions would be of benefit in this community.