This study provides a survey of bacterial quality of swimming pools water in Port Harcourt and Obio-Akpo Local Government Areas (LGA) of Rivers State, Nigeria. A total number of twenty (20) outdoor swimming pools were examined for bacterial quality. Of the 20 swimming pools, 11 (1,3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 19 and 20) had bacteria. Swimming pools 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 19 and 20 had the following bacterial isolates: 6(5.83 %), 4(3.88 %), 20(19.42 %), 5(4.85 %), 18(17.48 %), 15(14.56 %), 17(16.50 %), 9(8.74 %), 2(1.94 %), 5(4.85 %) and 2(1.94 %), respectively. Out of the 103 isolates of bacteria identified in this study, 63(61 %) were coagulase negative Staphylococcus species, 11(10.68 %) were Bacillus cereus, 11(10.68 %) were Micrococcus species, 10(9.71 %) were Staphylococcus aureus and 8(7.77 %) were Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Among the swimming pools that had bacteria, swimming pools 8, 13 and 20 did not have Staphylococcus aureus, whilst swimming pools 3, 5, 8, 10, 13 and 20 had Micrococcus species. According to World Health Organisation’s standard for recreational water, the absence of coliforms and faecal coliforms, such as Escherichia coli, showed that the 20 swimming pools used for this study are considered to be within the acceptable limits for certifying microbiological water quality. Although, there may still be need for care and maintenance of the swimming pools.

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Constancy Prisca Aleru

Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Nigeria