Abstract
Introduction Access to safe drinking water is essential to health, and it is a basic human right. However, drinking water treatment plant efficiency and its water quality are not well investigated in low-income countries including Ethiopia. Methods A laboratory-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 75 water samples. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 22 to generate descriptive statistics, and one-way ANOVA was used to test statistically significant difference. Results Physicochemical qualities of the water samples from tap water sources were found to be pH (6.88 ± 0.05), turbidity (5.15 ± 0.006 NTU), electrical conductivity (170.6 ± 0.1 μS/cm), residual chlorine (0.19 ± 0.003 mg/L), and fluoride (1.17 ± 0.009 mg/L). The removal efficiency of turbidity, total hardness, and nitrate was found to be 94.4%, 52.3%, and 88.7%, respectively. Removal efficiency of the treatment plant for total coliforms up to 91.6% (15 ± 0.26 CFU/100 mL in tap water) and faecal coliforms up to 99% (1.51 ± 0.03 CFU/100 mL in tap water) was recorded. Parameters of pH, temperature, and faecal coliform were statistically significant different at p < 0.05 in tap water source. The overall efficiency of the treatment plant (68.5%) and the water quality index (76) were recorded. Conclusion Based on the results, some of the investigated parameters of water quality (turbidity, residual chlorine, total coliform, and faecal coliform) were found to be not within the permissible limits of WHO guideline values for drinking water quality. The water quality index of the water samples was categorized under good water quality. To adequately treat drinking water and improve the treatment plant, adequate preliminary treatments like screening to reduce the incoming organic loading, proper chlorination of the drinking water system, and frequent monitoring and maintenance of the treatment plant system are required.
Highlights
Access to safe drinking water is essential to health, and it is a basic human right
Water treatment involves removing of all impurities that are potentially harmful in water supply for human consumptions [5]
Study Area. e study was conducted in Gondar city, Amhara regional state, which is located 739 km northwest of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. e city of Gondar found at latitude and longitude of 12°36’N 37°28’E with an elevation of 2133 m above sea level. e annual mean temperature of the area is 20.5°C (17.2–23.9°C) and annual rainfall is about 1000 mm (600–1400 mm). e total population of Gondar was 207,044, of whom 98,120 were men and 108,924 were women according to the national census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency (CSA) [12]
Summary
Access to safe drinking water is essential to health, and it is a basic human right. drinking water treatment plant efficiency and its water quality are not well investigated in low-income countries including Ethiopia. Physicochemical qualities of the water samples from tap water sources were found to be pH (6.88 ± 0.05), turbidity (5.15 ± 0.006 NTU), electrical conductivity (170.6 ± 0.1 μS/cm), residual chlorine (0.19 ± 0.003 mg/L), and fluoride (1.17 ± 0.009 mg/L). Removal efficiency of the treatment plant for total coliforms up to 91.6% (15 ± 0.26 CFU/100 mL in tap water) and faecal coliforms up to 99% (1.51 ± 0.03 CFU/100 mL in tap water) was recorded. Some of the investigated parameters of water quality (turbidity, residual chlorine, total coliform, and faecal coliform) were found to be not within the permissible limits of WHO guideline values for drinking water quality. Improving the quality of water before used by consumers is depending on the efficiency of drinking water treatment processes, which must be safe and meet the standard criteria for public health [6, 7]. Poor sanitation and contaminated drinking water are linked to transmission of disease such as diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, and polio [3, 8]
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