Physico-chemical and Microbiological Assessment of Drinking Water Quality from Different Sources in Digalu-tijo Woreda(District), Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Human health depends on safe water more than any other things. The objective of present study was to determine the physico-chemical and bacteriological quality of water from different sources. To do this, a cross-sectional study was conducted  and a total of 62 water samples we collected from five different water sources and eight physico-chemical parameters(turbidity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, Electrical conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids, chloride and nitrate and two microbiological parameters(total coliform and faecal coliform) were analyzed using the Membrane filtration method. The physicochemical parameter results ranged in the following trends: Turbidity 50.90±1.4 to 1.82±0.13 NTU, Temperature 18.25±0.57, to 16.17±0.29°C, Dissolved oxygen 4.83±0.07 to 3.05±0.05 mg/l, Electrical conductivity 1030.2±41.8 to 93.46±16.11μS/cm, pH7.75±0.15 to7.13±0.12, Total dissolved solids 515.0±21.0 to 46.76±8.05 in mg/l, Chloride 43.00±6.00 to 9.29±1.07mg/l, Nitrate 34.0±8.00 to 1.34±0.17 in mg/l, Total coliform 342.5±255.5 to 12.00±1.25cfu/100ml and faecal coliform 82.5±23.5 to 5.25±0.78 in cfu/100ml. The results indicated that all the physicochemical parameters of all water sources in Digalu-Tijo woreda were found within and below the range of National and International standards except Turbidity (USOS (11.1%), UHDW and UR), Temperature (PSWDS, UHDW, UD and TW) and PH (7.4% of USOS). However, 93.5% the water samples were found to harbor coliform in numbers greater than the required. So, majority of the drinking water sources had unacceptable quality or were grossly polluted particularly unprotected Hand dug well and River. Therefore, regular quality control mechanisms, proper sanitation and drainage network system should be given priority to ensure safety of drinking water.

Keywords: Bacteriological parameters, Coliform, Physico-chemical parameters, sanitary survey inspection, Water quality

DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/10-3-01

Publication date: February 29^th 2020