Fifty samples of water were collected from ten vegetable-producing farms, located in the municipalities of Extremoz and S. Gonçalo do Amarante, RN (Brazil). The larger part of the vegetables produced on these farms are consumed in the city of Natal (the State capital of RN). All samples revealed a high count of the bacteria (coliform and streptococci). Water used for irrigation on all the farms visited revealed fecal pollution and the MPN/100 ml for both total and fecal coliforms were much higher than the limits tolerated by Brazilian federal legislation.
Water pollution; Vegetable garden; Bacteria
