Vol. 9, Issue 12, Part C (2023)

Abstract
The provision of safe drinking water, particularly in developing nations, remains a significant challenge. These issues are both diverse and serious. Furthermore, scarcity has led to the practice of storing water in containers for future use, which can result in the development of biofilms over extended periods of time. This study seeks to monitor the formation of biofilms in various types of water storage containers by examining viable and total coliform counts. Additionally, the study aims to isolate and characterize the organisms that may be responsible for biofilm formation. The containers used for water storage include polyethylene, plastic, glass, rubber, galvanized steel, aluminium, stainless steel, and clay. Weekly sampling and analysis were conducted, measuring pH, viable and total coliform counts through plate count and Most Probable Number techniques, and weighing the biofilm formed in each container. The findings revealed that polyethylene exhibited the highest level of biofilm formation, weighing 0.090 g, while galvanized and stainless steel exhibited the lowest level, weighing 0.010 g. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant difference between polyethylene and galvanized steel, as well as between aluminium and stainless steel, with p-values below 0.05. However, there was no statistical difference between glass and plastic, or between plastic and rubber. The biofilm forming organism in the various water storage containers was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These findings provide further evidence that pathogenic bacteria can survive in biofilms within water storage systems for several weeks, even in unfavorable conditions, posing a potential risk to consumers of such water.