EVALUATION OF THE PRESENCE OF ESCHERICHIA COLI IN WATER SAMPLES FROM THE MÃE-MARIA STREAM AND THE VALE VERDE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CUBATÃO

Abstract

The analysis of the waters is a guarantee that it is worthy for human consumption, without toxicological purposes and/or means of transmission of pathological, parasitic or chemical factors. The objective of the present study was to analyze the waters of the Mãe-Maria stream, as it supplies the Vale Verde community, located in the municipality of Cubatão, São Paulo. Samples were collected from five supply points and microbiological analyses (Escherichia coli) were performed by the membrane filtration method. The results obtained revealed that the values of E. coli present in the samples exceeded the limits established according to Ordinance GM/MS No. 888, May 4, 2021, indicating a possible fecal contamination in these waters. Therefore, the waters are unfit for human consumption.

Keywords: Microbiological analysis of waters; Escherichia coli; Drinking water; Cubatão.