Abstract

Municipal wastewater is a significant reservoir for enteric bacteria and poses substantial risks to the health of the public, specifically in underdeveloped countries. where wastewater treatment infrastructure is inefficient. This study investigated the detection of enteric bacteria in municipal wastewater samples collected from five selected sources in Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria. The sources were, Restaurant, Tomato Effluent from Ebu Owa Market, Laundry, Shower, and Kitchen Sink sources. A total of five (5) wastewater samples were aseptically collected and analyzed using standard microbiological techniques. Total heterotrophic bacterial counts ranged from 47.33 ± 1.70 × 10⁶ CFU/mL in Shower wastewater samples to 64.00 ± 3.74 × 10⁶ CFU/mL in Restaurant wastewater samples, indicating heavy microbial contamination across all sample types. Coliform counts ranged from 25.33 ± 1.25 × 10³ CFU/mL in Kitchen Sink to 57.67 ± 3.40 × 10³ CFU/mL in Restaurant samples. The bacteria that were isolated from the samples were phenotypically identified as; Staphylococcus sp., Enterococcus sp., Bacillus sp., Citrobacter sp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella sp., Klebsiella sp., and Escherichia coli. The isolate varied across sampling sources with restaurant having the highest bacteria load and diversity. The presence of known enteric pathogens such as Salmonella sp., Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae in untreated municipal wastewater studied indicates significant public health risks associated with inadequate wastewater management in Agbor. The findings highlight the urgent need for wastewater treatment, regular microbiological monitoring, and targeted public health interventions to mitigate the environmental dissemination of enteric bacteria and prevent waterborne disease outbreaks in  Agbor metropolis.