ASSESSMENT OF DRINKING WATER QUALITY IN

ISSN 1013-5316; CODEN: SINTE 8

Sci.Int.(Lahore),25(2),359-361,2013

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ASSESSMENT OF DRINKING WATER QUALITY IN ISLAMPURA, Distt. LAHORE (Local Report) Abdul Qayyum Khan Sulehria*, Yasser Saleem Mustafa**, Bazgha Kanwal* and Adeela Nazish* *

Department of Zoology, GC University, Lahore. Provincial Diagnostic Laboratory, 16-Cooper Road, Lahore-Pakistan. Corresponding author: [email protected]

**

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this work was to examine the quality of drinking water on the basis of Coliforms especially E.coli. Total ninety (90) samples were collected from Islampura, Data Gunj Buksh Town, District Lahore. This area was divided into three sites such as main reservoir (tube well), pipelines and consumer area. 30 samples were collected from each site. Routinely ColiformsTest was performed to analyze Coliforms. The results showed that Coliforms were absent in main reservoir (tube well) and pipelines while, theywere present in the samples of consumer taps. It means that the water supply at consumer sites is not potable. So, the treatment of drinking water is urgently required to make the water pure and safe for drinking purposes. Key words: Assessment, Drinking Water, Quality, Coliform INTRODUCTION Water is necessary for the survival of every form of life. Every day human beings consume about 2 litres of water. Water is used for drinking purposes, agriculture, industrial, and domestic consumption [6]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 1.1 billion people of all over the world do not have supply of potable drinking water. This situation is worse in Pakistan where supply of pure water has been reduced from 60% to 40% because the Urbanization increased from 31% to 34% [10]. WHO states that 80% of all human diseases are due to the biological contamination of water in the developing countries [19]. The studies have revealed that in major cities (e.g. in Lahore 81.4%) widespread contamination of water occurs [2]. There are several sources of contamination of drinking water but the most important contamination is the bacteriological contamination. Identification of contamination which spread by microorganisms of fecal origin is a major priority in assessing the drinking water quality. It has been reported that the bacteriological contamination is the most serious problem throughout the country such as rural as well as in urban areas. Most of the samples found, were contaminated with Coliform bacteria [1]. The normal intestinal microorganisms,known as Coliforms,are used as an indicator of fecal pollution [2]. This is due to their easy detection and many of them present in water [15]. All members of Coliform group are aerobic and facultative anaerobic, gram negative, non-spore forming rod shaped bacteria [3]. The main aim of present study was to assess the quality of drinking water in Islampura, Data Gunj Buksh Town, District Lahore to explore the causes of its contaminationand to give suggestions for its improvement. MATERIALS AND METHODS For sampling purpose the locality was divided into three sampling sites i.e.,main reservoir, distribution line and consumer taps. Ninety samples were collected in sterilized 100ml falcon tubes, thirty samples from each sampling site.

Tubes were open just before sample collection and immediately closed after collection to avoid any contamination.pH was determined at the time of collection by pH paper. To detect coliform bacteria, Routinely Coliform Test was performed which has three steps such as presumptive coliform test, confirmed coliform test and completed coliform test. Presumptive ColiformTest: The given water sample was mixed and 1ml of it was inoculatedin 9ml of sterilized MacConkey broth test tubes containing inverted Durham’s tubes. The samplewas shaken gently to mix, taking care not to generate artificial bubbles in the Durham’s tube. The tube was incubated at 37°C for 24 hours, and turbidity was observed. Change in colour was checked. Gas production in the form of bubble in the inverted Durham’s tube was observed. If acid and gas were produced, after 24 hours, the first step was considered positive. After this Gram staining was performed. Confirmed Coliform Test: The loopful of culture, from the positive presumptive tube was streaked on sterilized EMB agar plate. The plates were incubated at 37°C for 24 hours.Typical colonies were pink without black center and with glistening metallic sheen on the surface of colony. Completed Coliform Test: Loop full of single typical colony was transferred from EMB agar plate to 9ml sterilized MacConkey broth tube containing inverted Durham’s tube. Tubes were incubated at 37°C and gas production was noticed within 18 hours [13]. Biochemical Tests: Biochemical Tests such as Catalase Test, TSI Test, MRVP Test and Indole Test were also performed for further confirmation of E.coli. RESULTS Samples from main reservoir and pipelines showed negative result for Coliforms because no acid and gas was produced after 72 hours whereas, the samples from consumer taps

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showed positive result for Coliforms. 50% of the samples revealed acid and gas production which indicated the presence ofColiforms. Coliforms appeared in the form of pink colored colonies on the surface of EMB agar. Gram staining showed that they were gram negative rods. For further confirmation biochemical tests were performed such as indole test, catalase test, triple sugar iron test and MRVP test. These tests were positive for Coliforms.

Acid and Gas production in samples of consumer taps after presumptive coliform test.

Metallic sheen colonies on EMB agar.

Pink coloured colonies on EMB agar. DISCUSSION Water is one of the most important vehicle for the transmission of hundreds of infectious diseases. A number of bacteria, viruses, protozoan and parasitic organisms may present in water which make water unsafe for drinking. Among the bacteria, the Coliforms are considered as the best indicator of water contamination.

Sci.Int.(Lahore),25(2),359-361,2013

The purpose of this research work was to detect the Coliforms in different water samples. In total of 90 samples 50% revealed the growth of Coliform(E.coli) by Routinely Coliform Test. A similar study conducted at Lahore indicated that 41% out of total 100 samples were contaminated with E. coli by membrane filter technique [9]. In present study, approximately half of the samples of tap water were contaminated with Coliforms. This result was found to be similar to another study conducted by [17] all the tap water samples containedColiforms and E.coli [17]. In our research work acid and gas was produced in 15 test tubes of consumer tap samples which indicated the Coliforms by Routinely Coliform Test. Then indole test was performed to confirm the Coliforms. These results correlated with another study conducted by [2] in Lahore. Out of 530 samples, 197 samples showed bacterial growth. They used MPN method to test the Coliforms. In the test tubes acid and gas was produced which indicated Coliforms. For further confirmation they performed Indole test [2]. The present study showed that the quality of drinking water in Pakistan is not up to the WHO standard. Drinking water of consumer taps of Islampura, Lahore found to be unsatisfactory for human consumption. Without purification it is a health risk to use this water. Concerned Authorities must take necessary steps to improve the quality of water. Human life is very precious. People of Lahore and other cities must be provided good quality water according to WHO standards. This type of study would be conducted from time to time to ensure quality of drinking water. REFERENCES [1] Aga, M. A., Sikandar, Q. M., Kakar, F. and Ishaq, Z. Severe gastroenteritis outbreak in RawalPindi. Pak. J. Med. Res., 39. 2000. [2] Anwar, M. S., Lateef, S. and Siddique, G. M. Bacteriological quality of drinking water in Lahore. J.Biomedica. 26: 66-69. 2010. [3] APHA, Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 25th ed. Washington, D.C: Amer. Pub. Health Assoc., 2005. [4] Brooks, G. F., Bulel, J. S. and Morse, S. A. Medical Microbiology. 22nd ed. McGraw-Hill Co. 217-227. 2001. [5] Choi, C. Y., Song, I., Stine, S. W., Pimental, J. and Gerba, C. B. Role of irrigation methods on effluent quality & viral contamination for lettuce production Water. Sci Technol., 50: 61-68. 2004. [6] Dara, S. S. A text book of Environmental Chemistry and Pollution Control. 1st ed. S. Chand & Co. Ltd. Pp. 6566. 1993. [7] Gliedrich, E. E. Water borne pathogens invasions: A case of water quality protection in distribution. Proc. Amer. Water Works Assoc. Water Qual. Tech. Conf., Pp. 118. 1992. [8] Guo, X, Chen, J., Brackett and Beuchat, L. R. Survival of Salmonella on tomatoes stored at high relative humidity in soil and on tomatoes in contact with soil. J. Food. Prot., 65: 274-279. 2002.

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