Because water quantity and quality are of great importance in the arid Limpopo province, the bacterial content of water in the Nyl River System and its possible origins were assessed at five sites. Quarterly surveys took place between April 2001 and July 2002 and the water was analysed for bacterial counts using standard procedures. Heterotrophic plate counts, faecal coliform counts and total coliform counts indicated that the system was stressed. The Modimolle sewage treatment works and local agricultural activities were found to be the point and diffuse sources of bacterial contamination, respectively.

African Journal of Aquatic Science 2010, 35(1): 55–59