Abstract
The quality of household drinking water in a community of 30 houses in a district in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) was assessed over a period of one year (January to November 2015). Standard analytical techniques were used to screen for water quality parameters and contaminants of concern. Water quality was evaluated in the 30 households at four sampling points: kitchen faucet, bathroom faucet, household water tank, and main water pipe. The sampling points were chosen to help identify the source when an elevated level of a particular contaminant is observed. Water quality data was interpreted by utilizing two main techniques: spatial variation analysis and multivariate statistical techniques. Initial analysis showed that many households had As, Cd, and Pb concentrations that were higher than the maximum allowable level set by UAE drinking water standards. In addition, the water main samples had the highest concentration of the heavy metals compared to other sampling points. Health risk assessment results indicated that approximately 30%, 55%, and 15% of the houses studied had a high, moderate, and low risk from the prolonged exposure to heavy metals, respectively. The analysis can help with planning a spatially focused sampling plan to confirm the study findings and set an appropriate course of action.
Highlights
Access to safe and adequate drinking water is at the center of the development goals of any country.Concerns have been echoed on whether current practices in the water industry can successfully provide the intended water quality that is suitable for human consumption [1]
Other figures were developed for other parameters, but they did not show any risks due to their relatively low concentrations, which were below the limits set by United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Various water quality parameters were assessed for water samples collected at four sampling points from 30 houses in the Baniyas region over two seasons
Summary
Access to safe and adequate drinking water is at the center of the development goals of any country.Concerns have been echoed on whether current practices in the water industry can successfully provide the intended water quality that is suitable for human consumption [1]. Standards and regulations for ensuring acceptable drinking water quality are issued by governments and special organizations [2]. Many local governments and municipalities maintain a drinking water distribution network by the continuous inspection of water mains, tanks, pipes, and junctions [3]. Regulations and standards help raise confidence in the quality of water supplied at the tap. The possibility of contamination incidents throughout the production and distribution processes remains the primary reason for consumer concerns regarding the safety of drinking water. The attribution of these incidents and factors influencing their frequency, Water 2018, 10, 1726; doi:10.3390/w10121726 www.mdpi.com/journal/water
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