ABSTRACT

 Groundwater is generally considered a safe source of drinking water because it is extracted with low microbial flora with little need for treatment before drinking. However. groundwater resources are commonly vulnerable to pollution, which may degrade their quality. The aim of this study is to analyze the bacteriological quality of water collected directly from various borehole sources in Umuahia An assessment of microbial and physical qualities of borehole water was carried out on six (6) different boreholes in Umuahia! Umudike using the MacConkey broth culture method and later evaluating the outcome with the MacCrady table for the Most Probable Number (MPN). The physical test (pH. turbidity. colour, taste, odour). The bacteria isolated from the water samples, include: Escherichici co/i, and Siciphylococcus aureus. Some of the water samples were found better than the other. Out of the six (6) water samples collected from six (6) different boreholes for analysis, two (2) were completely unacceptable for drinking purposes unless after treatment. The detection of organisms in borehole water that was intended for human consumption indicates that water from these sources may pose severe health risk on the consumers and is unsuitable for direct human consumption without treatment. This study recommends the analysis of borehole water to determine its suitability for human consumption.