Drinking Water Quality Assessment from the Source to End User, the Case of Omo Kuraz Sugar Factory, Ethiopia

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the water quality status from the source to end user in Omo Kuraz Sugar Factory -1. In the study, both primary and secondary sources of data were used to conduct the research. Stratified random sampling technique was adopted to select the sample needed for bacteriological analysis of the water quality. Samples were collected in rainy season for three times started from July 22 2019 to September 26 2019. Thirteen samples were collected at all representative sampling points at each time. The physicochemical parameters namely, pH, Temperature, Total dissolved solid, Electrical conductivity, Turbidity, Nitrate, Phosphate, Sulfate, Chloride, Total hardness, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Fluoride, Total alkalinity, Iron and Cupper. Total coliform as Bacteriological parameter was analyzed. The water quality index (WQI) - calculation was done using weighted arithmetic water quality index method. The result of physiochemical parameters, temperature (28.22°C), electrical conductivity (1331.37mg/l) and fluoride (1.89mg/l) were above the maximum permissible limit set by WHO and Ethiopian for drinking water. The results of remaining physiochemical parameters are fall within the desirable permissible limit for human consumption. The computed WQI values ranged 51.4 (source) to 69.6 (village-1) and all sampling points are ranked to poor water quality. The results of bacteriological analyses have shown that 50% of samples in the distribution systems were at medium risk, 16.7% of samples were at low risk and 33% of samples including the source were at zero risk. The study can conclude that the quality of drinking water source can be deteriorated in the water distribution system. Therefore, the current quality of water and distribution system needs to be improved or to be developed new better quality source in order to come up with current quality problem.