The objective of this study was to determine the bacterial contaminations in drinking water in Nyala city, South Darfur, Sudan with special reference to the internally displaced people camps (IDPs). Two hundred and forty water samples from different sites and sources including bore holes, hand pumps, dug wells, water points, water reservoir and household storage containers were collected in 2009. The most probable number method was used to detect and count the total coliform, faecal coliform and faecal enterococci. Results revealed that the three indicators bacteria were abundant in all sources except water points. Percentages of the three indicators bacteria count above the permissible limits for drinking water in all samples were 46.4% total coliform, 45.2% faecal coliform and 25.4% faecal enterococci whereas the highest count of the indicators bacteria observed was 1,600 U/100 ml water. Enteric bacteria isolated were Escherichia coli (22.5%), Enterococcus faecalis (20.42%), Klebsiella (15.00%), Citrobacter (2.1%) and Enterobacter (3.33%). The highest contamination of water sources was observed in household storage containers (20%) followed by boreholes (11.25%), reservoirs (6.24%), hand pumps (5.42%) and dug wells (2.49%). Contamination varied from season to season with the highest level in autumn (18.33%) followed by winter (13.75%) and summer (13.32%), respectively. All sources of water in IDP camps except water points were contaminated. Data suggested the importance of greater attention for household contamination, environmental sanitation control and the raise of awareness about water contamination.

A total of 240 water samples were collected during the three seasons of 2009 from different sites and sources in the internally displaced camps (IDP) including bore holes, hand pumps, dug wells, water points, water reservoir and household storage containers. Samples were investigated using the most probable number method to detect and count the total coliform, faecal coliform and faecal enterococci. Enteric bacteria detected were E. coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella, Citrobacter and Enterobacter .House hold containers showed continuous level of contamination by all different bacteria throughout the three seasons. This was followed by hand pumps, both reservoir and boreholes and dug wells. Water points revealed no level of contamination throughout the three seasons.