BACTERIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF BOREHOLE WATER FROM OVERHEAD STORAGE TANKS AT SELECTED LOCATIONS IN OWERRI METROPOLIS

Study was to determine the bacteriological status of borehole water in overhead tanks at various parts of Owerri municipality. Water samples were taken from three overhead tanks in each of the 10 locations, totaling 30 samples and investigated for bacteriological characteristics. The viable bacterial, total coliform and feacal coliform counts were determined by standard plate count method, multiple tube fermentation and the use of different media respectively. The viable bacterial count ranged from 1.8 x 101 to 6.5 x 103 cfumL-1.. Total coliform and faecal coliform ranged from 0.8 to 5.2 cfu.Ml-1 and 1.3 to 8.1 cfumL-1, respectively. A total of five bacterial organisms were isolated from the stored borehole water collected, namely Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus spp, Salmonella Typhii and Shigella spp. The presence of these pathogenic organisms is of individual risk and public health significance.