Evaluating quality of drinking water in the state of Khartoum

Abstract

This study was done to investigate two types of drinking water of the Sudan (tap water and mineral water) in Khartoum state in the period from June 2006 to August 2007. The tap water was randomly collected from homes and universities. Samples were subjected to microbiological, physical and chemical examinations and analyzed to investigate the level of expected health hazards in each sample. A total of fifty samples were collected from three sites in Khartoum State 9 samples of them were collected from three food factories (raw water, post – treatment water , post – filling water ) , 15 samples were taken from mineral water from supermarkets ,18 samples were collected from tap water and thermal bricks coolers in some Universities of Sudan. The results obtained were compared with national and international drinking water guidelines in an attempt to evaluate the quality of drinking water in Khartoum State. The results indicated that all samples were free from E.coli but some of tap water samples were found to be contaminated with Streptococcus spp. Again the results obtained indicated that some of the samples were contaminated with Salmonella spp and the contaminated tap water samples were more than contaminated mineral water samples. The results obtained indicated that the turbidity level in tap water in Khartoum state ranged 5.4-13.6 NTU. The concentration of minerals such as calcium in tap water is in the ranged of 22.25-31.85 mg/l and in mineral water is in the ranged of 14.43-14.73 mg/l , sulphate in tap water is in the ranged of 0.25-17.75 mg/l, total dissolved solids in tap water is in the ranged of 103.55-112.45 mg/l, in mineral water is in the ranged of 90.15-90.65 mg/l, total hardness in tap water is in the ranged of 65.50-100.85 mg/l , in mineral water is in the ranged of 64.80-67.55 mg/l, alkalinity in tap water is in the ranged of 85.50-95.50 mg/l , in mineral water is in the ranged of 65-80.50 mg/l, Fluoride in tap water is in the ranged of from 0.23-0.65 mg/l, in mineral water is in the ranged of 0.185-0.35 mg/l, magnesium in tap water is in the ranged of 7.585-10.86 mg/l, in mineral water is in the ranged of 7.02-7.39 mg/l, sodium in tap water is in the ranged of 7.65-16.49 mg/l, in mineral water is in the ranged of 9.82-13.03 mg/l , Potassium in tap water is in the ranged of 2.245-7.135 mg/l in mineral water is in the ranged of 1.135-2.59. The results obtained indicated that the concentration of essential salts such as calcium and magnesium in tap water were found to be more than mineral water. This is may be due to softening of drinking water in food factories. It may be stated that most samples collected were suitable for human consumption.