Bacteriological quality assessment of some hand-dug shallow water wells in Awka metropolis was carried out during the dry and wet seasons to determine their potability. The total bacterial, total coliform, faecal coliform and Vibrio chloreae counts were determined using standard laboratory methods. The total bacterial counts during the dry season ranged from 100 to 300 cfu/100ml; total coliform counts, 42-126 cfu/100ml; faecal coliform counts, 10-26 cfu/100ml and Vibrio cholerae counts, 2-10cfu/100ml. During the wet season, the total bacterial counts ranged from 148 to 450 cfu/100ml; total coliform counts, 77-240 cfu/100ml; faecal coliform counts, 12-30 cfu/100ml and Vibrio cholerae counts, 6-13 cfu/100ml. The bacteria isolated during the dry season were Salmonella typhi (7.44%), Proteus vulgaris (18.08%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (27.55%), Enterobacter aerogenes (35.71%), Vibrio cholerae (2.85%) and Escherichia coli (8.37%). During the wet season, the bacterial isolates were Salmonella typhi (6.14%), Proteus vulgaris (14.56%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (21.69%), Enterobacter aerogenes (29.70%), Vibrio cholerae (3.66%), Escherichia coli (8.23%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (16.03%). All the water wells studied were of poor bacteriological quality. Appropriate water purification methods should therefore be developed for such wells to avert a public health hazard.

Samples collected from hand-dug shallow water wells in Awka metropolis during the dry and wet seasons were subjected to mycological analysis to determine their safety for use. The fungal counts during the dry and wet seasons were 3.5x10 3 cfu/ml-8.2x10 3 cfu/ml and 5.1x10 3 cfu/ml-10.6x10 3 cfu/ml respectively. The fungi isolated during the dry and wet seasons respectively were Candida albicans (42.0% and 44.8%), Cryptococcus neoformans (9.6% and 10.2%), Rhodotorula Harrison (11.5% and 12.6%), Microsporium canis (0.0% and 0.2%), Penicillium chrysogenum (28.0% and 29.3%), Alternaria alternata (0.0% and 0.3%), Mucor mucedo (8.9% and 9.2%) and Sepedonium chrysospermum (0.0% and 0.2%). Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Rhodotorula harrison, Penicillium chrysogenum and Mucor mucedo were isolated from 46.7%, 6.7%, 20.0%, 26.7% and 6.7% of the samples respectively during the dry season while 60.0%, 20.0%, 26.7%, 6.7%, 40.0%, 13.3%, 20.0% and 6.7% of the samples respectively had Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Rhodotorula harrison, Microsporium canis, Penicillium chrysogenum, Alternaria alternata, Mucor mucedo and Sepedonium chrysospermum. These fungi are human pathogens which are known to cause diseases of animals and humans which if untreated may lead to fatal consequences, therefore adequate treatment of the water will safeguard the health of the users.