Microbiological contamination in water filtration plants in Islamabad.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency of microbiological contamination of water in different water filtration plants in Islamabad.


METHODS
Descriptive cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Water Filtration Plants (WFP) in different sectors of Islamabad, from April to September 2012.


METHODS
Water samples were collected in sterilized bottles according to the standard water sampling protocol from site and transported to Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) for analysis. Microbiological quality of water was determined in terms of total coliforms (< 2.0 MPN/100 ml) and Escherichia coli (< 2.0 MPN/100 ml). Microbiological contaminated water was defined the sample which had more than 2.0 MPN per 100 ml of either total coliforms or Escherichia (E.) coli.


RESULTS
Thirty two WFP were analyzed for microbiological contamination. E. coli was present in 8 (25.0%) water samples, while 24 (75.0%) water samples were free from it. Total coliforms were present in 13 (40.6%) of the samples of WFP, while 19 (59.3%) samples were free from total coliform. Faecal coliforms were present in 8 (25.0%) and absent in 24 (75.0%) samples. Both E. coli and total coliform were present in 8 (25.0%) samples. Nine (59.3) WFP were free from E. coli, total coliform and faecal coliform. Statistically, no significant association was found (p > 0.05) between microbiological contamination and the sectors.


CONCLUSIONS
Less than half of the water samples of the WFP were contaminated while certain sectors showed more frequent contamination than others.
Department of Community Medicine, Army Medical College (AMC), Rawalpindi.
Aliya
A
Hisam
Department of Community Medicine, Army Medical College (AMC), Rawalpindi.
Mahmood
M
Ur Rahman
Department of Community Medicine, Army Medical College (AMC), Rawalpindi.
Ehsan
E
Kadir
Department of Community Medicine, Army Medical College (AMC), Rawalpindi.
Naseer Alam
NA
Tariq
Department of Community Medicine, Army Medical College (AMC), Rawalpindi.
Sumaira
S
Masood
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005374:Filtration; D006801:Humans; D010154:Pakistan; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000295:instrumentation; D060753:Water Quality; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*