ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF ENTEROPATHOGENIC AEROMONAS HYDROPHILA FROM LAHARPUR WATER RESERVOIR, BHOPAL Nidhi Tripathi and Anjali Choudhary Department of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, Career College, Bhopal E-mail: nidhibiochemistry@gmail.com Abstract: Water is essential to life, but many people do not have access to clean and safe water and many die of waterborne bacterial infections. There is increasing evidence that consumption of raw fresh produce is a major factor contributing to human gastrointestinal illness due to the potential for contamination with pathogenic microorganisms. The risk of disease transmission from pathogenic microorganisms present in irrigation water is influenced by the level of contamination; the persistence of pathogens in water, in soil, and on crops; and the route of exposure. Laharpur water reservoir of Bhopal is built with the objective to irrigate local farms, but the water is highly polluted and it is unsuitable for irrigation. In the present study presence of enteropathogenic aeromonads was observed in the water of reservoir, it was identified as Aeromonas hydrophila, this water not suitable for human consumption. Antibiotic sensitivity was also monitored in the study. Keywords: Aeromonas hydrophila, irrigation, water reservoir, polluted water, antibiotic sensitivity. Introduction Commercial and small-scale farmers generally irrigate their produce with water from nearby rivers, streams, ponds, wells and dams most of which do not meet the required standard for irrigation (Westcot, 1997). In India number of surface water system is polluted. Water-borne diseases are any illness caused by drinking water contaminated by human or animal faeces, which contain pathogenic microorganisms.In the present study enterotoxic bacteria was isolated from the Laharpur reservoir. Laharpur reservoir is situated in the southwest of Bhopal city in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India with an objective to store water for irrigational purpose. It is receiving water from following major inlets.1. Anna Nagar sewage fed drain, Shahpura sewage fed drain, Barkhera Pathani Nalla and Barkhera Nalla. These inlets carry untreated sewage and waste water from the southwest part of Bhopal Town (Pandey et.al, 2010). The Laharpur reservoir has both rural and urban catchments. In last few years the lake became surrounded by habitations with the growth of the city. These developments resulted in anthropogenic pressures on the lake which accelerated the International Journal of Science, Environment ISSN 2278-3687 (O) and Technology, Vol. 3, No 2, 2014, 556 – 560 Received Feb 05, 2014 * Published April 2, 2014 * www.ijset.net