Journal of Advances in Microbiology

The physicochemical, microbiological and heavy metal studies of water samples obtained from Mbiaso River and Enang Stream were investigated. Water samples were collected from two locations with two sampling points from each location along the course of the water body based on their use by the community and analysed using standard procedures. The results obtained were compared with WHO standards for drinking and recreational water. Aside titratable acidity, titratable alkalinity and BOD, all other physicochemical parameters were within the permissible standards. All the heavy metals concentrations were above the permissible limits except for Lead (Pb) that ranged between 0.01mg/l to 0.05 mg/l for all the sampling points. All the water samples were found to harbor coliforms organisms in numbers greater than the required WHO standards for water except for Enang river that lacked the presence of Vibrio spp. The total viable counts for all the water samples were generally high exceeding the standard limit of 1.0 x 10² cfu/ml for water. The total heterotrophic bacteria count, total coliform count, faecal coliform count and total fungal count ranged between 1.9x10⁴ - 52x10⁴ cfu/ml, 2.3x10⁴ -38 x10⁴ cfu/ml, 1.7x10⁴ - 30x10⁴ cfu/ml and 2.5x10⁴ - 5.3x10⁴ cfu/ml respectively. The total salmonella-shigella counts and total staphylococcus counts were in the range of 0.2 x10²-0.4 x10² cfu/ml and 0.3 x10² -0.6 x10⁴ cfu/ml respectively. From the study, it is suggested that some regulations measures be put in place to control pollution of the water while the water be properly treated before use for domestic, potable or recreational purposes.