ABSTRACT

The aim of the study was to carryout a comparative analysis of pipeborne water and other sources of water in Ikwuano Locality. A total of ten (10) water samples were collected from Umuariaga, Umugbalu, Amawom, Amaoba, Amandoro, Isiala and Umuosoko. The samples analyzed were aseptically collected into separate sterile containers. The media and reagents used for bacteriological analysis of water were weighed out and prepared according to manufacturers’ specification. Nutrient agar (NA), MacConkey agar (MA), Eosin methylene blue agar (EMBA). The spread plate method was used. Ten-fold serial dilution of each water sample was prepared aseptically in physiological saline of 10-1 up to 10-4 and 0.1 ml aliquot of each dilution was plated on Nutrient agar plates in triplicate. All incubations were conducted at 37°C for 24 hrs under aerobic conditions. After incubation and several biochemical and Morphological characteristics were carried out, Nine (9) bacterial genera was observed which include Escherichia coli, Streptococcus sp, Staphylococcus aureus Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella sp, Enterobacter, Flavobacterium, Proteus sp Bacillus. The temperature of the water samples ranged between 28.0 and 28.9°C, while the pH ranged from 6.40 to 8.59. All the samples were colorless and odorless . The water samples from the boreholes had a coliform range of 8x104 to 1.0 x104cfu/ml while the total bacterial count ranged from 7.0 x 104 to 0.2x 104 . The Morphological and Biochemical Characteristics of Isolates which Nine (9) bacterial genera was observed which include Escherichia coli, Streptococcus sp, Staphylococcus aureus Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella sp, Enterobacter, Flavobacterium, Proteus sp and Bacillus sp. The percentage occurrence of microbial isolates. Enterobacter 17% was predominant, followed by Staphylococcus sp 13%, Klebsiella sp 13, Proteus sp 13, while E.coli 8.7%, Streptococcus 8.7%, Pseudomonas sp 8.7%, Bacillus sp 8.7% and Flavobacterium 8.7% were less predominant. It is advisable that the regulatory agencies should ensure that waste waters from the surface and potable waters be properly treated before it is released into the environment to avoid contamination of the rivers and streams that most of the populace particularly in developing world rely on for human sustenance.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page  i

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgments iv

Table of Contents v

List of Tables v

Abstract vi

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       Introduction 1

1.1 Aim and Objectives  3

CHAPTER TWO

2.0  Literature   Review  4

2.1 Drinking Water 5

2.2 Sources of Water 7

2.3 Quality of Borehole Water  8

2.4 Variations in Borehole Water Quality 10

2.5 Quality of Water and Health  11

2.6 Water Quality Standards  12

2.7 Requirements for Quality Drinking Water  13

2.7 Water Pollution  14

2.8 Factors Influencing Quality of Stream Water 15

2.8.1 Dissolved Oxygen 17

2.8.2 Nitrate 17

2.8.3 Phosphorous 18

2.8.4 Bacteria  18

2.8.5 pH  19

2.8.6 Turbidity 19

2.8.6 Temperature 20

2.8.7 Salinity 21

2.8.8 Flow rate 21

CHAPTER THREE

3.0    Materials and Methods 22

3.1 Study Area 22

3.2 Collection of Water Samples 22

3.3 Sterilization 23

3.4 Assessment of Physico-Chemical Parameters 23

3.5 Microbiological Tests  24

3.5.1 Media used and their preparation  24

3.5.2 Enumeration and Detection of Bacteria  24

3.6 Biochemical Tests and Identification of Microbial Isolates 27

3.6.1 Gram Staining 27

3.6.2 Motility Test 27

3.6.3 Catalase Test 28

3.6.4 Indole Test 28

3.6.5 Starch hydrolysis test  28

3.7 Sugar Fermentation Test 29

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0  Results 30

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendations 35

5.1 Discussion    35

5.2 Conclusion  38

5.3 Recommendations 39

References 

LIST OF TABLES

Table Title Page

1 Samples sources and their physical parameters  31

2 Total bacterial and coliform counts of water samples 32

3 Morphological and biochemical characteristics of isolates 33

4 Percentage occurrence of microbial isolates from pipeborne water  34

and other sources