Physicochemical and Biological Characterization of the Drinking Water Served at Food Places in Islamabad (P-0807) (MFN 5510)

Abstract

This Project was carried out from December 2015 to January 2016 to attempt recent analysis of Drinking water(both source and served ) of selected medium and small size restaurants and hotels of Islamabad, keeping in view the WHO and PCRWR standards available on the subject. A total of 20 hotels and restaurants were selected and two samples (one source and one served) from each restaurant were collected and analyzed for different physical, chemical and biological parameters. A standard method for sample collection was followed. Chemical parameters were analyzed only for source water samples while physical and biological parameters were analyzed for both source and served water samples. Exposure Dose and microbial pollution index was also calculated. The physical and chemical parameters were found within the recommended WHO and PCRWR standards.For the small size restaurants the average pH value of all the Source samples and served water samples is 7.33 and 7.43 respectively. The average conductivity value for all the source drinking water samples and served water samples were 724 μS/cm and 744 μS/cm respectively. The average TDS value for all the source and served drinking water samples is 462 ppm and 507 ppm respectively. For Medium size Restaurants, the average pH value for all the source and served water samples were 7.41 and 7.43 respectively. The average conductivity value for all the source water samples served water samples were 571 μS/cm and 640 μS/cm respectively. The average TDS value for all the source and served water samples is 392 ppm and 437 ppm respectively. Average value of Ca+2, Mg+2, NO3, Hardness, carbonates, were 97.7 mg/l. 26.1, 2.95, 348, BDL respectively. The average values of chemical parameters of the medium size hotels including Ca+2, Mg+2, NO3, Hardness, carbonates were found to be 84.4 mg/l, 28.6 mg/l, 2.5 mg/l, 392 mg/l, BDL respectively. Dose exposure level that is calculated for hotel workforce is maximum for New city hotel (5.3 cfu total coliform/capita/day) and Food Hut (0.42 cfu/capita/day) among small hotels while in medium hotels maximum doses were calculated for Des Pardes hotel i.e., 13.7 cfu total coliform/capita/day. Among all the water samples from 20 different hotels the water samples of only 8 hotels were meeting the WHO and PCRWR standards with respect to all parameters. MI-Total coliform in small size restaurants is higher in the New City restaurants i.e., 188000 while MI-Total coliform in medium size restaurants is higher in the Des Pardes i.e., 481000. MI-Salmonella and Shigella in small size restaurants is higher in the Food Hut i.e., 11000 while MI-Salmonella and Shigella in medium size is higher in the Des Pardes i.e., 284000.