Bacteriological Water Qualities of Four Rivers in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria

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Abstract

The bacteriological quality of water from four different Rivers (Ologakpo, Iyeberia, Ekiritei and Oyai Rivers) in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa state was investigated. Water samples were collected in sterile bottles and analyzed for bacteriological parameters. On the basis of their morphological and physiological characteristics, bacterial isolates belonging to 5 genera were identified from Ogbia River. They are Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp, Salmonella spp, Klebsiella spp and Shigella spp. The Total viable counts were found in the range of 35 to 105 cfu per ml in Ologakpo River, 31 to 110 cfu per ml in Oyai River, 32 to 142 cfu per ml in Iyebena River and 20 to 91 cfu per ml in Ekiritei River. All the samples collected were found to have total viable count (TVC) higher than those prescribe by WHO. The occurance of E coli was higher than other bacteria isolated, E.coli 131 (41.3%), S. aureus, 101 (34.9%), Salmonella spp 70 (29.5%), Klebsiella spp 43(12.6%) and Shigella spp, 20 (5.8%). The consistently high load of the pollution indicator E. coli and its isolation from all the rivers indicated that the water body is undergoing severe sewage pollution.These results revealed that faecal coliform pollution were widely distributed in the selected rivers making it unsuitable, unsafe and not acceptable for human use or primary contact and there may be a potential risk of infection for users of waters from these Rivers

Keywords: Rivers, Ogbia, Bacteriological parameters, Escherichia coli,

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