EVALUATION OF BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF AMELADU STREAM IN GBOKO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, BENUE STATE

Following the theory of creation, it is clear that water is as old as man. From time immemorial, man has resorted to the use of this unique commodity for domestic and other purposes. Most of our water supplies are from surface water which include: rivers, streams, lakes, oceans and seas and there water bodies are likely to be polluted with domestic and Industrial as well as agriculture waste, As populations increase, the problem become more serious and as such, water can endanger the health and life of human beings because when polluted by fecal materials it becomes potential carrier of pathogenic organism. Man uses water not only for drinking purposes but also for bathing, washing, laundering, heating, air conditioning, agriculture, stock raising and gardens, Industrial processes and cooling water power and steam power, fire protection, fishing, swimming and wild life propagation and navigation. This study was conducted at Ameladu stream from Gboko Local Government, Benue State, with the aim to evaluate the bacteriological analysis of the Ameladu Stream. Thirty (30) samples were collected from the stream for the study. The bacteriological analysis were done using Most Probable Number technique. The Stream had the MPN values of 18,20,40,160 and 180+. Which was greater than the WHO standard for drinking water. Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Klebsiella were isolated from the stream. The bacteriological quality of the Stream was unsafe for drinking as it had high MON values (180+). Therefore, the water is advised to be boiled before drinking and also many activities such as swimming, defecating and washing in Stream should stop to avoid further contaminations.