Antibiogram of isolated bacteria from Omisanjana hand-dug well water and flowing stream

Water samples were obtained from ten (10) wells around Omisanjana stream, Ado-Ekiti to determine the microbiological and physicochemical quality. The samples were analyzed for the total bacterial and coliform count and the isolated organisms were identified using standard techniques which were further screened for susceptibility to various antibiotics commonly used in the community. The total bacterial count ranged from 2.6 x 103 to 10.9 x 104 CFU/ml and the total coliform counts ranging from 3.0 x 102 to 9.3 x104 CFU/ml; which exceeded the WHO standard for drinking water. The organisms isolated belonged to eleven genera, among which Staphylococcus aureus showed highest frequency (24.6%) while Acinetobacter spp. with least frequency (4.3%). The physicochemical properties of the water accord with the WHO standard with pH range of (6.2-71), temperature (26.9-29.2), turbidity (-0.8 - 6.5) NTU, conductivity (0.04-0.23)µS/cm, total hardness (14-80) mgL-1, TDS (34 to166) mgL-1 and TSS of (29 to 122) mgL-1. Higher level of resistance to the antibiotics tested was more prominent in the E.coli than in Staphylococcus aureus. Although some strains were susceptible to some commonly used antibiotics, but the resistant bacteria encountered pose a serious public health risk especially with the increasing rate of transfer of resistant genes from one bacterium to another. There is therefore need to treat water obtained from wells in the community to make it safe for domestic use.