BACTERIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF ' RIVER NILE WATER AND CHLORINATED WATERATPURIFICATIONSTATIONSAT GREATER CAIRO

Abstract

In the present study, 96 samples were collected from River Nile periodically every month from different locations, eight sectors namely El-Tebbin, Helwan, El-Maadi, El-Malek El-Saleh, Kasr El-Nile, Shobra, Rod El-Farag and El­ Kanater. Total of 36 and 108 samples were collected from three water treatment plants located at El-Maadi, El-Fostat an lmbaba as well as tap water from some houses near from these stations, respectively. Each sample was subjected to chemical and bacteriological examination for the density of heterotrophic count (HPC), total coliforms, faecal coliforms as well as faecal streptococci.

It was observed that variations in month temperature at which water samples were collected; depending on the season affected clearly the density of general bacterial population of untreated and treated water represented by HPC. In summer • season where ambient temperature was high, HPC showed highest values whether it has been determined at 22°C or 37°C as incubation temperature. On the other hand, Rod El-Farag showed higher HPC during 12 months, while the lowest values attained from El-Tebbin site at the same period.

Results demonstrate that incidence of both faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci in the examined River Nile water samples assure faecal pollution. On the same time, El-Fostat treatment plant represents the best treated water where no bacterial indicators were detected.