ABSTRACT

Stream waters serve as sources of water for many people; however, these can be contaminated by biological and chemical pollutants arising from point and non-point sources This study evaluated the physiological and bacteriological quality of water from Ayamgba streams in Amoba, Abia state, Nigeria. From this study a total offour (4) bacteria strains were obtained and identified using morphological characteristics, pigmentation on media, microscopy, biochemical and sugar fermentation methods. This reveals the major bacterial isolates to belong to Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Shigella sp and Salmonella sp. The total heterotrophic plate count ranged from 1.12x KF to 3.5 x KF. The total coliform plate count ranged from 1.02 x 105 to 7.1 xJO5. The total Salmonella Shigella plate count ranged from 3.7 x 105 to 6.7 xlO5. It was observed that Staphylococcus aureus and Shigella species were the most frequently occurring isolates in the stream water sample with a percentage occurrences of (30.0%), while Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp had the least percentage occurrence of (20.0%). The results of physicochemical parameters showed that the pH ranged from acid level to fairly alkaline in all the three points studied for the period ofsampling. The pH ofthe water samples ranged from a minimum of 6.55 to a maximum of 7.21. The results oftotal dissolved solid (TDS) and total suspended solid (TSS) values ranged from 2500mg/l - 4200.0mg/l for TDS and 584.661mg/l- 1259.27mg/l for TSS. The bacteriological and physiochemical qualities of the evaluated stream water was averagely poor, and are certainly not fit for human consumption as they are of low quality threshold. This may be due to direct contamination by animal and human excreta and other anthropogenic activities such as swimming, washing of clothes, farming etc., and thus, require further purification to ensure their suitability for human utility