ASSESSMENT OF THE MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF WATER FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION IN A QUILOMBOLA (RURAL) UNIT IN GOIÁS – BRAZIL

Introduction: Water is an essential and irreplaceable substance in all stages of life; however, the quality of water has been strongly influenced by human actions, making it often unfit for consumption. It is estimated that 2 billion people worldwide use a source of water contaminated with faeces. Objective: this study aimed to analyze, through microbiological characterization, the quality of water destined for human consumption, of the inhabitants of the Sumidouroquilombo, located in the municipality of Padre Bernardo in Goiás. Methodology: Two methodologies were used: For the theoretical foundation, it was a systematic literature review was carried out from January to May 2020, in which scientific articles were consulted, selected by searching the Scielo and Pubmed databases. In addition for the research of total coliforms and Escherichia coli, the colilert kit methodology was used. Results: the results of the microbiological analyzes of the water samples showed that 9.7% were suitable for human consumption, while in 90.3% the presence of coliforms and the presence of E. coli was quantified. Conclusion: in view of the results obtained, it is necessary to implement educational measures, regarding obtaining appropriate water for use, as well as prophylactic measures to prevent diseases transmitted by waterborne pathogens, since the majority of people residing in that region little is known about the dangers of drinking this drink-free water with regard to disease transmission.