Abstract

A comparative study was carried out to determine the quality of three water sources: borehole, well and stream in Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State. The water sources were assessed for microbiological quality and physico-chemical properties (temperature, odor, color and pH). The stream had the highest plate count of 40 × 10⁵ cfu/ml, while those of borehole and well water had the least of 12 × 10⁵ cfu/ml and 14 × 10⁵ cfu/ml respectively. The isolated organisms were identified as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus sp., Bacillus sp., Streptococcus sp., Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas sp., Flavobacterium sp., Enterobacter sp., Proteus sp. andPseudomonas sp. The most probable number (MPN) of the water sample sources ranged from 8 to 120 coliforms per 100 ml, which signified undesirable level of water pollution in the area covered. Water samples from the boreholes had a coliform range of 32 to 38 × 10⁰ cfu/ml, and were adjudged to be less prone to contamination and potable than the well and stream sources, which recorded relatively higher coliform load of 44 to 70 × 10⁰ cfu/ml.

Key words: Bacteriology, borehole, stream, well, water assessment.