Abstract
This study was conducted to assess the drinking water quality of north Mecha district, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. 26 drinking water samples were collected from the water points of the dweller community in the dry seasons of 2020 and subjected to the analysis of physicochemical parameters, bacteriological parameters, and the level of trace metals. The analysis of physicochemical parameters and the trace metals was carried out following the standard procedures of the laboratory, and the bacteriological water qualities were measured using the membrane filtration method. The F−, NO3−, SO42−, and Cu levels of the water samples were within the permissible limits of the WHO and compulsory Ethiopian standard (CES). Depending on turbidity, 61.54% of the tested water samples crossed the WHO limit of drinking water quality, and 100% of the samples surpassed the limits of EPA. Based on iron and ammonia levels, 38.46%, and 100% of the studied water samples violated the environmental protection agency (EPA) guidelines; 23.07%, and 3.84%, of the samples surpassed the WHO and CES drinking water quality standards. In view of pH, 23.07% of the tested water samples were not within the safe limit of the WHO and CES. 92.31% of the studied water samples were not potable as coliform bacterium (thermo tolerant indicator bacterium) growth was detected. The study revealed that the water sources of the study area are not safe for drinking unless appropriate treatment measurements are taken. Higher values of water quality parameters for the water samples from Koga irrigation site than the values for the water samples from the study sites found out of the irrigation site indicated the pollution load of Koga irrigation on the water quality of the area.
Highlights
Water is very vital for the endurance of all living organisms
Mecha district is situated at 500 km northwest of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, and 35 km to the west of Bahir Dar, the capital of Amhara region. e total population of Mecha district is 375,716: 323,315 in rural areas and 52401 in urban areas. e study area lies between the coordinates 10° 24’ 62” N latitude and 37° 08’ 97” E longitudes and has an area coverage of 156 027 ha
Physicochemical Characteristics of the Water Samples. e level of some physicochemical parameters of the analyzed water samples are given in Tables 1 and 2
Summary
Water is very vital for the endurance of all living organisms. It may be a source of several transmission and chronic human disease if it is exposed to bacteriological, chemical, and physical contaminants. As stated by Boyd [3], public health specialists typically agree that, among the contaminants of drinking water, microbiological pathogens are the foremost, necessary risk exhibit by drinkable water. Water is a precious and likely the most vulnerable environmental aspect to heavy metals contamination [6, 7]. Investigations of heavy metals in water help in determining the status and contamination load [8]. Michael, “Drinking-water quality assessment and treatment in East Timor. case study: tangkae,” Engineering esis, e University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia, 2006
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