Assessment of drinking water quality deterioration from source to the end user, the case of Dukem town, Ethiopia

Abstract

Water quality refers to the physical, chemical, and biological factors that control how water is used in daily life. Water-related diseases are caused by tainted drinking water. The purpose of the study was to evaluate Dukem Town's drinking water supply system at both the source and the end user. A total of 108 water samples were taken from 25 homes (end user outlets), 10 boreholes, and one reservoir. Using the conventional methods of analysis Procedure, the samples' pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Chloride, Magnesium (Mg2+), Calcium (Ca2+), Total Hardness, and Microbiological parameters (Total Coliform E- coli measured in colony forming units CFU) were all calculated. All of the water samples had findings ranging from 7.9 to 6.32 pH, 358 to 491 s/cm electrical conductivity, 25 to 78 mg/l chloride, 78 to 127 mg/l calcium, 26 to 64 mg/l magnesium, and 181 to 350 mg/l total hardness. While all other physico chemical parameters were in compliance with WHO guidelines and national standards, only calcium from all sources and total hardness from the Kera borehole did not. Escherichia coli (1–7/100ml) at sample codes s14 and s15 and total coliform (1-22/100ml) did not comply with WHO guidelines and national standards, according to biological results, while all other biological results were in compliance with these guidelines and standards. The finding that some of the tap water samples were more contaminated as they were refilled from end users suggests that Dukem Town's water supply system is insufficiently treated at the end user. Regarding bacteriological quality, bacterial coliforms and E-coli were found in outlet tap water samples, indicating that the water supply system requires treatment in the form of adding chlorine. The results of the study's sanitary inspection also showed that jerry can storage by families, a sanitation practice, was a factor in the bacteriological pollution of the water supply. In order to reduce the hazards and problems associated with the current water quality, notably the bacteriological water quality and chlorine issue, the town water utility must give the Dukem town water supply system more attention.