Assessment of Some Bacteriological Quality of Streams of Upper Awash River, Central Ethiopia

Abstract

Supply of safe and adequate drinking water is very essential for the health of human beings. But water safety and sanitations in the developing countries has been a serious problem threatening the community of these nations. The major objective of this article is to communicate the microbial quality of water of streams of upper Awash River. The indicator microbial quality of the water samples from streams of upper Awash River was analyzed using membrane filtration techniques, while heterotrophic bacteria, Bacillus spp and Staphylococcus aureus count were done by using specific isolation techniques for the particular organisms. From the five different sampling sites site 1 and 4 showed highest total coliform count ranging from 17300 to 22000 cfu/100ml. Escherichia coli count ranged from 200to 11300 cfu/100ml; Entrococcus count ranged from 178to 2300 cfu/100ml; Clostridium perfringes ranged from 66- to 201 cfu/100ml. Hetrotrophic plate count ranged from 350-2380 cfu/100ml. Bacillus spp count ranged from320-990 cfu/100ml. Staphylococcus aureus count ranged 300-1950 cfu/100ml.The result of this investigation indicated that all the indicator microorganisms and other bacterial species were found to be above the minimum number of the specific group of the organisms showing that the water of streams of upper Awash river is highly exposed to certain pollution and it need some means of purification before it used for the intended purposes.

Keywords/ phrases: bacteriological; indicator microorganisms, Streams; water quality

DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/10-9-01

Publication date:May 31^st 2020