Evaluation of Drinking Water Quality in Erbil City Kurdistan, Region-Iraq

Abstract

This study is based on an analysis of drinking water characteristics in Erbil in Kurdistan. For water quality analysis Erbil is divided into four parts (Ifraz l, Ifraz ll, Ifraz lll and Bakhtari and Ainkawa wells). Several samples were collected which include three samples from source, five samples from wells, and 32 samples from houses. The physiochemical parameters of  , turbidity, conductivity, total hardness, and total alkalinity were analyzed. Cations potassium, calcium and sodium were also analyzed. In addition, anions chloride, nitrate and sulphate were analyzed. Further, the biological parameters of total coliform (thermo tolerant (faecal) coliform and faecal (streptococci)) were analyzed. There was no bacteria in the drinking water. All the parameters were in permissible limits. The range of pH (7.1-7.9), conductivity (282-850µ/s), turbidity (0.2-9.9mg/L), total hardness (188-407mg/L), total dissolved solids (141-360mg/L), and alkalinity was (121-378mg/L). Cations concentration range of calcium (50-102ppm), sodium (4.5-79ppm), potassium (1-5.2ppm). Anions concentration range of chloride (2.1-50ppm), sulphate (5-112ppm), nitrate 1.2-84ppm. While in ground water samples biological contamination has been found. The results indicate that the drinking water quality of Erbil is suitable.

Keywords Evaluation, drinking water, physiochemical, biological, Erbil.