Isolation and Characterization of Bacterial Contamination from Water Sample of Kharar, Punjab, India

Background: Water is one of the most important natural resources for industry, agriculture, and human nourishment. This research focuses on the quality of water, its effects on public health, and techniques for identifying potential contamination. Objective: The objective of this study was to identify any pathogenic bacteria in water samples that were taken from several sites from in and around Kharar, Punjab, India. Methods: A total of six bacterial species, such as E. coli, Klebsiella, Proteus, Salmonella sp. Pseudomonas sp., and Staphylococcus aureus, were identified from 6 different drinking water samples. Isolates were cultured on nutrient agar medium, and characterization of the isolates was done based on their morphological characteristics, biochemical properties, and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Results: The colonies were seen to be tiny, translucent, mucoid, smooth, round, and disc-like. The isolated water samples, designated W1 and W2, underwent additional testing to determine their susceptibility to different antibiotics. While W1 showed no resistance to any antibiotic, isolate W2 shown resistance to both ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin. In W1, it was discovered that Ampicillin and Vancomycin had intermediate susceptibility, whereas in W2, Amoxyclav, Vancomycin, Ampicillin, and Levofloxacin also displayed intermediate susceptibility. Conclusion: This research found antibiotic-resistant strains of E. coli and other hazardous microorganisms in water samples from the Kharar area. These results emphasize how important it is to monitor water quality more closely in order to protect public health. Key words: Drinking Water, Bacterial Contamination, Phenotypic Characterization, Antibiotic Susceptibility.