The study was conducted at three (3) hospitals; University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Meridian Hospital D / line branch (MRD1) and Meridian Hospital Ikoku branch, all located in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Sample collection was for three (3) months, analysis was carried out daily for six (6) months. A total of Forty-five (45) water samples were collected for a period of three (3) months from the three (3) hospitals. The samples were labelled properly, according to date and time of collection. The collected samples were subjected to standard microbiological procedures which included standard plate counts, identification, biofilm screening, sensitivity testing using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method, Phenotypic screening of extended spectrum beta lactamase and molecular characterization of the isolates. The physicochemical and bacteriological quality of the water samples were analysed using standard methods. The results of the bacterial population of water samples from the hospitals showed that the total heterotrophic bacterial counts ranged from 0.7 to 1.1 x10⁴ cfu/ml while total coliform and faecal coliform counts ranged from 0.3 to 0.5 x 10² cfu/ml and 0.1 to 0.2 x10² cfu/ml, respectively. There was a significant difference (p≤0.05) in the total heterotrophic bacterial, total coliform and faecal coliform counts between the hospitals sampled. A total of nineteen (19) bacterial isolates were isolated from water samples and 13(68.4%) isolates were identified as biofilm producers. The biofilm bacteria identified were 46.1% Staphylococcus, 15.4% E. coli, 23.1% Pseudomonas and 15.4% Proteus species. Biofilm forming ability of bacteria is considered a virulent factor and it is implicated to being a possible cause of increased resistance to most antibiotics. Varying susceptibility patterns was observed among biofilm isolates. Biofilm bacteria were resistant to several groups of antibiotics. Ofloxacin, Gentamycin, Imipenem and Nitrofurantoin can be used as drugs of interest for biofilm producing bacteria associated with bore hole water from hospitals studied. CTX-M and TET A gene were identified in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus mirabilis biofilm bacteria in this study and could be possible factors that confer resistance to antibiotics. The presence of icaD and papC gene in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus mirabilis have been found from genomic studies to be possible factors that confer biofilm producing ability. This study highlighted the presence of biofilm producing bacteria in bore hole water and their resistance to antibiotics. Therefore, there is need for improvement in water treatment practices as well as therapeutic guidance for confirmed infections related to consumption of water containing bacteria with biofilm producing ability.

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