Abstract

This study investigated the effect of bacterial pollution on ground water quality in Enugu urban areas. During the study, samples were collected from ten (10) hand-dug wells (W1-W10c). Five (5) hand dug wells out of ten (10) were used as control. All samples were taken according to methods described by Federal Ministry of Water Resources (2004). Membrane filtration (MF) method was used to enumerate total coliforms (TC), fecal coliforms (FC) and Escherichia coli. Biological oxygen demand, dissolve oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, temperature and pH were also determined. Data were statistically analyzed for mean and standard deviation and the results showed that TC, FC and E. coli were influenced by distance and season of the year in all the wells. Their values decreased with increasing distance to pollution sources. Statistical analysis shows that significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed with changes in distance and seasons. The results of BOD, DO, COD, temperature and pH show that no significant difference (p > 0.05) was observed at different distances and seasons of the year. The values of temperature, DO and pH were within the permissible limit. Presence of bacterial in all the wells was strongly influenced by proximity to the pollution sources. Based on the findings, the research recommends that standard treatment should be given to water from the wells before consumption. The result of this study will be of great importance to the general public, as well as the environmental and health planning unit of government.

Key words: Groundwater, bacterial, pollution, siting distance, season.