Bacteriological quality of selected pollution indices of wadi al-arab water reservoir in jordan

Selected bacterial indices of water pollution of heterotrophic plate count (HPC), total coliform (TC), fecal coliform (FC), enterococci (ENT) and Salmonella (S) of Wadi Al-Arab water reservoir (WAWR) in Jordan during a period of six months (September, 2001 to February 2002) were studied. The mean of HPC was log 4.4/ml water and the mean of MPN in log/100ml water of each of (TC), (FC) and (ENT) were 3.2, 2.2 and 1.5 respectively. Presumptive Salmonella positives were found in 80% of the water samples. The averages of HPC and TC of sediment samples in each of Sept.2 and Nov. ranged from log 7.8/g – log 5.4/g and from log 4.8-log 6.2 consecutively. These results show that the microbiological quality of (WAWR) was not suitable for drinking purpose without effective treatments. However it was suitable for restricted irrigation and recreation purposes. Temperature, pH, EC, and turbidity of he reservoir's water were determined.