Abstract
In the present study, the physical and chemical quality of several borehole water sources, used by rural schools in Greater Giyani Municipality, were assessed to determine their safety for human consumption. Atomic absorption spectroscopy and ion chromatography were used to determine the chemical quality of water sources. The pH of the water samples varied between 5.29 and 8.3 and tended to be lower in summer and higher in winter. The turbidity values varied between 6.17 and 44.7 NTU in some of the schools. High concentrations of magnesium and total hardness were obtained from all water sources. Calcium concentrations were high in some schools. Anions such as chloride and sulphate were within the recommended Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) limits except for two sampling points. High concentrations of nitrates were obtained from all schools except in Nyanisi high school. There were no fluorides and phosphates from all schools. Heavy metals like arsenic, iron, cadmium and lead were within the recommended DWAF limits. The results obtained in this study indicate that the water from the studied boreholes is not suitable for human consumption based on hardness and nitrate content and may pose a serious threat to the health of the consumers and therefore calls for urgent intervention in order to reduce such chemicals and preserve the health of the children. Key words: Physico-chemical water quality, borehole, primary schools, Giyani, South Africa.
Highlights
According to Prince (1995) and Todd and Mays (2005), water in the saturated zone, below the water table is called groundwater
The results obtained in this study indicate that the water from the studied boreholes is not suitable for human consumption based on hardness and nitrate content and may pose a serious threat to the health of the consumers and calls for urgent intervention in order to reduce such chemicals and preserve the health of the children
For the 1st sampling (June) and the 2nd sampling (August), the pH values of groundwater in all schools were within the recommended Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) (1996) limits for human consumption of 6.0 to 9.0
Summary
According to Prince (1995) and Todd and Mays (2005), water in the saturated zone, below the water table (the upper limit of the saturated zone) is called groundwater. This is the water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in fractures of lithologic formation. Physical quality refers to water quality properties such as conductivity, hydrogen ion concentrations (pH), turbidity and temperature (DWAF, 2000). The presence of microorganisms as well as dissolved substances and physical parameters should not be above specified recommended limits in order for the water to be regarded as suitable for human consumption. The nature and content of chemical substances affect life in groundwater and affect the health of individuals consuming this water (Elleta et al, 2010)
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