Abstract
The research intended to establish the relationship between Zvishavane domestic water quality and selected disease patterns. Total levels of coliform, Escherichia Coli, chemical and other physical parameter levels in samples from selected water sources during the period March 2018 to January 2019 were evaluated. Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) commercial laboratory methods were used to analyze thirty one randomly selected sources. This quantitative research results were compared with recommended limits from Standard Association of Zimbabwe (SAZS 560:1997) and World Health Organization (WHO).Five water sources had coliform counts ranging from < 1 to 55 cfu per 100 ml and Escherichia Coli from < 1 to 28 cfu per 100 ml. Chloride levels of above 200 mg/L were obtained from eight borehole water sources. Levels of selected heavy metal ions were within the SAZS 560:1997 maximum allowable limits in all water samples. Sample levels for Mg2+ (29 %) and total hardness (32%) were above the maximum allowable levels. Tap water samples were within recommended limits for all measured parameters. Hypertension was first among the chronic disease conditions while diarrhoea and dysentery ranked second of the outpatient general diseases attended to at the Zvishavane District Hospital during 2018. 66 neonatal death were reported during the same time period. Zvishavane domestic water require research based pre-treatment methods before drinking. There is a possible link between the quality of water and the disease patterns. However these observations require further epidemiological studies to confirm the link.Keywords: Escherichia Coli, Hypertension, Diarrhoea
Highlights
Zvishavane is a small town situated in the central part of the Midlands region of Zimbabwe
Urban councils are responsible for the treatment and management of services from municipal water, sewerage and refuse removal departments while Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) is responsible for provision of raw water to the urban councils
Escherichia coli and Total Coliform: Figure 2 shows that five sampling points during the period of study which reported high E. coli levels ranging between 4
Summary
Two liter volume samples were collected from 30 different sampling areas (Figure 1) that were randomly selected from tap, surface and underground, around Zvishavane town as per ZINWA sampling protocol The analysis was carried out using ZINWA. Commercial laboratory standard methods of quantification (Table). Samples were collected in March, May, July, September, November in 2018 and January 2019. We collected data of prevalent disease from Zvishavane District Health Information office
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