Drinking water quality assessment before and after treatment of filtration plants in Rawalpindi, Pakistan (P-0840) (MFN 8619)

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the water quality of Rawalpindi filtration plants installed in the city. Thirty samples (15 before and 15 after filtration) were collected to analyze the physico-chemical and heavy metals concentration by using standard operating procedures, the microbial contamination (E.coli/Coli form) was also checked. The results showed thatpH ranged before treatment (6.91-7.89), after treatment (6.91-7.89) TDS ranged before treatment (286-750)mg/l,after treatment (221-537)mg/l, Hardness ranged before treatment (176-621)mg/l, after treatment (163-528)mg/l, Electrical Conductivity ranged before treatment (398-919) µS/cm, after treatment (307-671) µS/cm, Chloride ranged before treatment (25-135.21)mg/l, after treatment (20.12-122.51)mg/l, phosphate ranged before treatment (0-2.95)mg/l, after treatment (0-0.98)mg/l, Sulfates ranged before treatment (9.85-40)mg/l, after treatment (9.21-22.5)mg/l, nitrates ranged before treatment (0.51-10.51)mg/l, after treatment (8.71-10)mg/l, all the results were compared with WHO guidelines, it was found that pH, TDS, chloride, sulfates were below permissible limit while hardness, phosphate, and nitrate were above permissible limit in some of the samples. The heavy metals including iron, lead, cadmium and manganese were also analyzed in the same samples and their results showed lead was below permissible limit and that manganese, iron and cadmium were above permissible in some of the samples. The microbial analysis showed that 21 samples contained E.Coli and Coli form, these results suggest that regular monitoring and better maintenance of the filtration plants is required by the authorities