Temporal Variation In Densities Of Microbiological Indicators Of Pollution In Water Sources Within Naivasha Lake Basin Kenya

Abstract This study investigated the temporal variation in community water source types within Lake Naivasha basin borehole Direct Dir boreholePoints of Access POA and surface sources between April and July 2011.This was done through determination of the concentrations of total coliforms E. coli intestinalenterococci C. perfringens and HPC in Lake Naivasha Rivers Malewa and Gilgil and borehole water samples using Membrane Filtration TechniquesMFT and Pour Plate Procedures. Physico-chemical parameters were also determined insitu for all water sources. Most of the physicochemical parameters did not show variation with respect to sampling time months except temperature and conductivity from borehole direct and borehole points of access P0.05. Surface sources recorded higher values in all the four months for all the parameters than borehole direct and POA sources. E. coli and C. Perfringens showed significant temporal variation only in the surface sources but not on the two borehole sources p0.05 while total coliforms and intestinal enterococci did not show any significant temporal variation in all the water source types p0.05. In conclusion the study indicated presence of temporal variation in some microbiological parameters and recommended that other environmental parameters such as rainfall patterns be included to better understand and interpret the results.