Drinking Water Quality Assessment In Selected Areas Of Rawalpindi By Analyzing Physicochemical And Biological Parameters

Abstract

In this study, drinking water quality of different densely populated areas of Rawalpindi was analyzed. Since, Commercial Market, Satellite Town, Murree Road, Khayaban-e Sir Syed, Pirwadai are among the busiest areas of Rawalpindi and are densely populated. The main source of water in the area is water from filtration plants and bore tap waters. The filtration plants are installed by WASA under Punjab government and tap water. Since, demand of water is greater than its supply, many locals have installed bores in order to meet their increasing water demand. The main purpose of this study was to determine the quality of drinking water in selected areas of Rawalpindi and to determine whether it is related to gastrointestinal diseases or not. For this, water samples were collected from eleven water filtration plants, this included both government and private plants and nine bore tap waters were selected. The study aimed to analyze both physicochemical as well as microbiological parameters. The physicochemical parameters were pH, EC, Salts, TDS, Turbidity, Total Alkalinity, Total Hardness, Total Chloride, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Carbonates and Arsenic. The microbiological parameters were total bacteria, salmonella, shigella and total coliform. The samples were analyzed by using the standard procedures as listed in APHA. The results from the analysis showed all the parameters were within the permissible limits, except for EC and salts denoting that ions are present in greater amount in water samples. In case of biological parameters, in few samples, growth of salmonella and shigella as well as total coliforms was found to be exceeding permissible limit denoting that water from these sources are contaminated and not fit for use. Tap water samples which were basically bored from groundwater were found to be more contaminated with bacteria as compared to water samples from filter plants