Enumeration of total and <I>Feacal coliform</I> bacteria of some borehole water in Gombe, Gombe State, Nigeria

Abstract

Inadequate provision of potable drinking water in relation to teaming population is forcing most of the urban communities to drink untreated water obtained from traditional boreholes. Hence, the need to assess the portability of drinking water. In this research, boreholes water samples collected within Gombe city were investigated bacteriologically using multiple tube fermentation and pour plate methods to examine feacal coliform and coliform bacterial counts respectively; bacterial isolation was conducted using standard culture methods.  Identification of the bacterial Isolates were carried out by macroscopic, microscopic and biochemical examinations. Total coliform bacteria ranges from <3 to 11 MPN/100 ml and 1 to 3 MPN/100ml for faecal coliform. The borehole water samples from studied areas had high counts of faecal coliforms (Escherichia coli), and other pathogens like Entrobacter and Salmonella. The findings showed that all the borehole water analysed were not suitable for human consumption and may pose a serious threat to the health of consumers and therefore, there is need for treatment of these borehole waters by the borehole proprietors and also by simple treatment methods such as boiling, filtration before drinking and agitation by the consumers.   

Keywords: Borehole water, Quality, Isolation, Identification, Coliform bacteria