INDICATOR BACTERIA AND REGROWTH POTENTIAL OF THE DRINKING-WATER IN ALICE, EASTERN CAPE

Alice drinking water has a brown colour sometimes which could imply th at it is not potable. To assess the effectiveness of the purification works and ascertain whether the water distributed is safe for drinking , indicator bacteria namely, heterotrophic, total coliform, faecal col iform and injured coliform counts were performed using the membrane fi ltration method. In addition, the regrowth of heterotrophic bacteria, total and injured coliforms in the chlorinated water at 15 degrees C+/ -2 degrees C and 23 degrees C+/-2 degrees C was recorded. All the indi cator bacteria counts were above the South African acceptable standard s. Moreover, heterotrophic bacteria and total coliforms showed a remar kable regrowth indicating that the treated water had possibly high bio degradable dissolved organic carbon content due to inefficient purific ation systems. Considering the overall microbiological indicators it c an be concluded that the Alice drinking water is of poor quality.