Water quality assessment in dry regions using statistical methods

Abstract

Water demands have increased even more in recent decades because of the high population density. Surface and groundwater resources are insufficient to meet these demands. As a result, governments have turned to the treatment of sewage water. Sewage water contains multiple types of contamination, creating a major health risk. In the research region, 48 water samples were obtained, including 18 samples of surface water and 30 samples of groundwater. The Canadian Council Water Quality Index (CCWQI) program calculates the water quality index to evaluate the water quality for drinking and human use. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Egyptian Ministry of Health (EMH) determined regulatory limits for drinking water and each value of the investigated parameter connected with them. According to the findings, 79% of the tested water samples are safe to drink and are excellent for human and wildlife use. Due to infiltration or recharging of groundwater with drainage water, as well as the involvement of dissolution, leaching processes, and anthropogenic activities that damage human health, animals, and some plants, these samples are unfit for drinking and domestic consumption. The heavy metal level of Cd and Pb in the examined water samples was found to be above WHO and EMH acceptable limits. Furthermore, due to oral exposures, the examined water samples may cause complex health concerns such as non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic influences for children over adults due to a reduction in children's immunity. As a result, water treatment should be carried out in the examined region to protect the health of the residents.