ABSTRACT

Samples from five swimming pools from hotels in Umuahia Metropolis were microbiologically analyzed. The bacterial isolates obtained include: Enterobacter spp, Pseudornonas aeruginosa, Kiebsiella, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coil, Bacillus spp, Streptococcus spp. and Proteus spp. while, fungal isolates were Penicillium spp, Aspergillus niger, Epidermophylon spp, Rhizopus spp., Mucor spp. and Candida albicans. The mean heterotrophic bacterial count ranged from 1.8x103cfu/rnl — 6.4x103cfu/rnl while the coliform bacteria count ranged from Ocfu/rnl — 2.OxlO3cfu/rnl and the fungal count was between 1.8x102 cfu/ml -2.0x102cfulml. Data analysis was done using standard deviation and percentage frequency. Damgrete swimming pool had higher percentage occurrence of Aspergillus niger (40%) among other fungal isolates which included: Mucor spp., Rhizopus spp. and Epiderinophyton spp. and a higher percentage of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis (30%) among other bacterial isolates including Escherichia coli, Proteus and Kiebsiella spp. Villa-Roy and Benac swimming pools had higher percentage of E. coli and S.aureus (25%) among Bacillus spp., Enterobacter spp. and S. epiderinidis. Benny-Aris and Grand Lavish swimming pools did not show significant coliform counts Pseudornonas aeruginosa in higher Qccurrence in both pools. Benny-Aris pooi also had high percentage occurrence of Aspergillus niger and Mucor spp. (37.5%) among the fungal isolates while Grand Lavish pool had higher occurrence of Aspergillus niger (50%) among other fungi species isolated. The results of the statistical analysis showed that there was no significant difference (P<0.05) between the results obtained from the pools water for the fungal count and in the coliform count while there were significant differences in the bacterial counts. The isolates were highly susceptible to antibiotics when treated with them. The presence of high levels of coliform bacteria in some of the swimming pools revealed that the swimming pools have not met the World Health Organization (WHO) standard for recreational waters.