MICROBIAL EXAMINATION OF BOREHOLE WATER IN SABO

ABSTRACT
Three different samples of borehole water labeled A, B and C were collected from Sabo in Auchi. The three samples were analysed for microbial counts and types of microorganism presents. The results revealed the presence of Streptococcus lactis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus for sample A, sample B had Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus saprophyticus while sample C had Pseudomonas species, Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Staphylococcus aureus sample B had the least microbial count (0.8 X 105 cfu/ml), while sample A had the highest microbial count (1.6 x 105 cfu/ml). There were significant difference(P 0.05) in the microbial counts of the samples. These isolated microorganism can be eliminated through proper treatment like chlorination to avoid spread of water borne diseases.

INTRODUCTION
The potential of water to harbor microbial pathogens and causing subsequent illness is well documented for both developed and developing countries (wright et el, 2004). Water like air is one of the most indispensable coumpounds in life. Water of good drinking quality is of basic importance to human physiology and mans continued existence depends very much on it availability (Nwosu and Ogueke, 2004). It is universal solvent with supplies from wells, rivers, springs, borehole, lakes, streams etc. during passage through the ground it dissolves minerals in rocks, collects suspend and particulate matter particularly organic as well as pathogenic microorganisms from faecal matters. Majority of rural water sources for drinking are still the traditional ones that are dams, wells, rivers, streams, ponds which might harbor waterborne and vector diseases (Fenwick, 2006). Water has been associated with transmission of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid fever, river blindness among others (Oyeku, 1998). These and other factors make the raw water unfit for drinking without treatment. The extent of treatment needed therefore is determined by the quality of the water source.

Federal ministry of health gave a statistics in 1994 that only about 30% of Nigerian have access to portable water while in the same years, united nations estimated that 1.2 billion people lacked access to portable water world wide.
Well, borehole, and river are the major sources of water for human consumption and other domestic uses in Auchi and its environ. These water sources are not portable, and to monitor palatability and safety of this water, the microbial analysis must be assessed to see their conformity with regulatory standards. This work serves as preliminary assessment for careful evaluation for microbiological analysis of the water and hope that the result will provide informative update on the quality of water from these sources in line with world health organization (who) standards adopted by national agency for food drug administration and control(NAFDAC) in Nigeria.
1.1 AIM OF STUDY
This study is aimed at the isolation and identification of the microorganisms that are present in water source from Auchi and it’s environ in other to ascertain whether they are wholesome and if they meet the quality standard of portable water as recommended by the who.