Study of sewage wells’ contamination with intestinal bacteria in the city of Misurata, Libya

Abstract

Groundwater pollution, and the same pollution with sewage water resulting from improperdisposal by correct scientific methods, is one of the most dangerous environmental disastersthat affect humans in particular and the environment in general, as groundwater is considered one of the most important water resources, especially in the dry and semi-arid surface areas. Study of the contamination of groundwater wells with E. coli bacteria in a number of ground wells, 70 wells in one of the regions in the city of Misurata. Samples were collected and measured TDS and grown on a special medium compact dry and incubated for 24 hours at 37 C and another 24 hours at a temperature of 44 C. The results showed that 27 wells (38.5%) out of 70 wells were contaminated with E. coli bacteria, andthis is an indication of the risk of spreading contamination with colon bacteria compared tothe sample size. From the foregoing, the study concluded that the high rate of contamination of well water with coliform bacteria is due to the lack of a system to treat black water and dispose of it in a random manner.