[Microbiological quality of the water used in a random sample from dairy farms in Córdoba, Argentina].

Bacteriological contamination of well water and wash water in a random sample obtained from 50 farms from Villa María (Córdoba) dairy area, Argentina, was evaluated during a visit in 2007. Forty six percent and 24 % of farms showed an aerobic mesophilic bacteria count higher than 500 CFU/ml in wash water and well water, respectively. Escherichia coli was isolated in 20 % of samples from both sources. Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed high frequency of isolation in well water (36 %) and wash water (42 %). Eighty and eighty-eight percent of dairy farms have contaminated well water and wash water, respectively. The findings show moderate concordance between contamination of well water and wash water for mesophilic aerobics and total coliforms. The results reveal that a high percentage of dairy farms in the basin under study have poor bacteriological water quality, not suitable for milking and washing facilities.