Heavy metal and bioload levels of Otamiririver was investigated. Four sites designated upstream (UPSI), upstream II (UPSII), fallout point (FP), and downstream (DS) at 100meters apart, were water collection points from the river. Analysed water samples collected from the river showed that apart from total iron at upstream I, all other identified heavy metals in the river water were lower than those of maximum permissible limits. Metals such as cadmium, chromium, arsenic, mercury and cobalt used as indices of heavy metal pollution of water body were absent in Otamiririver. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus spp, Staphylococcus epidermuchsi,Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, Proteus species, Vibro species, Shigella species and Salmonella species wereamong the microbes identified and isolated from Otamiririver. High bioload levels per group of microbes for total heterotrophic bacteria count, total coliform count, total viable bacteria count, and total fungalcount were observed in the this study. The present study has shown that the levels of microbes in Otamiririver are alarming hence those that depend on the river water especially for domestic uses should purify it before usageas to avoid possible contamination of the diseases associated with the identified microbes.
