Bacteriological study of drinking water : A study from Rural North India.

Tamrakar Meenakshi; Sood Anuradha; Jaryal SC; Anuradha Chaudhary; Rana Aditya; Gupta Veetheeanveshna; Sharma Anjali

Volume : X, Issue : III, March - 2020

Bacteriological study of drinking water : A study from Rural North India.

Tamrakar Meenakshi, Sood Anuradha, Jaryal Sc, Anuradha Chaudhary, Rana Aditya, Gupta Veetheeanveshna, Sharma Anjali

Abstract :

Background: The routine monitoring and assessment of the microbiological quality of water is the key priority for both water suppliers and surveillance agencies. Microbiological quality is of principal concern because of the acute risk to health posed by viruses, bacteria and helminths in drinking–water. Therefore, monitoring and assessment of drinking–water is primarily a health–based activity which emphasises the protection of public health through ensuring that the water supplied is of a good quality. Aim: The aim of this study is to analyze the bacteriological quality of the available drinking water collected directly from various sources, namely, water source supply outlets, as well as drinking water sources from different areas of Kangra district received in the Department of Microbiology of Dr.Rajendra Prasad Government Medical Collage & Hospital Kangra at Tanda. Methods: A total of 274 water samples from different sources received from april 2016 – may 2019. The bacteriological analysis of water was done by the multiple tube technique. Results were interpreted after 48 hours of incubation of the water sample in MacConkey bile oth medium in accordance with Mc Crady probability table. Results: Out of a total of 274 water samples were received in the Microbiology laboratory 5 (1.85%) sample were rejected due to improper transport, 112(41.63%) were unsatisfactory, 13(4.8%) suspicious, 117(44%) were satisfactory and 27( 10 %) were excellent. Nearly 5.5% samples from water tanks, 16.7% from public taps were unsatisfactory but water samples from all the aqua guards were excellent. Escherichia coli (71%) was the commonest isolate followed by, Citrobacter fruendii(24%), Klebsiella pneumaoniae spp.(3.6%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1.4%). Conclusions: Bacteriological assessment of drinking water is essential and should be carried out on regular basis so as to prevent outeaks of water borne diseases.