Abstract
Abstract Water dispensers are commonly used in educational institutions in developing countries. Assessment of factors influencing drinking water quality from this source is important due to its potential to cause waterborne diseases and other health risks. This study aimed to assess microbial contamination and the factors affecting drinking water quality from water dispensers at Walailak University, Southern Thailand. Drinking water samples from 60 water dispensers of different type-brands were collected and tested for physicochemical and microbiological parameters by following WHO Drinking Water Quality guidelines. Also evaluated by questionnaires were hygienic standards and maintenance of water dispensers. The physicochemical analysis of all water samples did not exceed the reference values of the drinking water standard; the hardness value in only 13.3% of samples was slightly higher than the reference limit. The microbiological results indicated that total coliform and fecal coliform bacteria were found in 16.67% and 8.33% of total samples, respectively. Escherichia coli was not detected in any of the water samples. The assessment of factors influencing drinking water quality, location and pathogen source around water dispensers, hygienic environment, and maintenance of water dispensers had a significant effect on drinking water quality.
Highlights
Access to clean drinking water presents a considerable challenge, as 2.2 billion people currently do not have access to safely managed drinking water, and 4.2 billion, or 55% of the world’s population, are without safely managed sanitation (UNESCO 2020)
The microbiological results indicated that coliform and fecal coliform bacteria were found in 16.67% and 8.33% of the samples, respectively
It should be noted that the testing methodology for total coliform bacteria reports numeric values as Most Probable Number (MPN)/100 mL, while the results for E. coli are given as colony-forming units (CFU)/100 mL, which can potentially lead to an underestimation of the E. coli count
Summary
Access to clean drinking water presents a considerable challenge, as 2.2 billion people currently do not have access to safely managed drinking water, and 4.2 billion, or 55% of the world’s population, are without safely managed sanitation (UNESCO 2020). There has been a marked increase in the consumption of drinking water derived from different sources such as water dispensers a popular source of water in public places, workplaces and educational institutions. Such increased popularity is the result of easy access to clean water, and the convenience of the location, driven by post-COVID-19 education lifestyle changes and drinking habits (Schillinger & Du Vall Knorr 2004; CDC 2014; UNESCO 2020). Drinking water already contained in water dispensers was found to be more contaminated than water newly supplied to the dispensers
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