Abstract:
The present study was undertaken to know the quality of drinking water in Islamabad, by analyzing some physicochemical, biological, and heavy metal parameters of drinking water sources. The range of pH during the present study for sampled sectors was 6.5-8.5, thus falling within the permissible limit, while the electrical conductivity obtained from some bore wells was as high as 1200 μS/cm, greater than the Pak-EPA limit of 1000 μS/cm. Some tube-well samples exceeded the desirable limit of 500 mg/L, as high as 750 mg/L, for total dissolved solids, while the chloride level in some bore wells attained the upper acceptable limit of 250 mg/L. The sulfate concentrations were less than the acceptable limit, with a permissible limit of 250 mg/L, and the temperature was below 30° C to minimize microbial growth risks. The biological investigation showed a high bacterial contamination in some sectors, with CFU counts as high as 400 CFU/mL in sectors F-6 and G-8, although no Salmonella or Shigella species were detected. Generally, the heavy metals contaminations were low: As up to 7.31 ppb, Cd as high as 0.17 ppb, or mostly nondeductible Pb. These findings keep a need for continuous monitoring, infrastructure up-gradation, and proper water management strategies that will keep the drinking water of Islamabad safe.
