Abstract

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The Ago-Iwoye community is dominated by shallow wells that are prone to the various sources of pollution. This calls for the need to evaluate the groundwater quality using its integrated basic physicochemical feature and the microbial content. Twenty-five (25) samples were collected in a week from different wells at various locations in the studied rural community. This was done in accordance with the recommended procedures for raw water samples collection. On the site, the hydrogen ion concentration (pH), temperature, Total Dissolved Samples (TDS) and the specific Electrical Conductance (EC) were measured using a standardized digital electronic multi-meter, while the Total Bacterial Count (TBC) the Total Coliform Count (TCC) were analyzed and the Isolated organisms were identified, all in the laboratory using the conventional recommended microbial methods. The water samples were generally clean, tasteless and odourless. The pH (4.0 - 6.6) revealed slightly acidic to partially neutral groundwater. The temperature was normal, and varied between 29.6 and 31°C. The TDS and the EC of the water samples ranges were 101 - 1022mg/l and 203 - 2045µS/cm respectively. High TBC (1.3×105 to 3.4×105 Cfu/ml) and TCC (1.2×105 and 2.5×105 Cfu/ml) values were recorded in the samples. The isolated organisms that dominated the samples include Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes, Bacillus spp., and Klebsiella spp. Although the physicochemical properties of the groundwater samples were slightly acceptable however, the samples were laden with coliforms greater than the recommended WHO standards. Water treatment should be advocated in this community to prevent water borne diseases.

Keywords: Bacteria, Coliform, Groundwater, Waterborne Diseases