Coliform bacteria and salt content as drinking water challenges at sand dams in Kenya
Autor: | Bernard Muendo, Joseph Muli, Doug Graber Neufeld, James Kanyari |
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Rok vydání: | 2020 |
Předmět: |
Microbiology (medical)
Salinity 0208 environmental biotechnology 02 engineering and technology 010501 environmental sciences 01 natural sciences Toxicology Feces fluids and secretions Sand Water Supply Dry season Waste Management and Disposal 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Water Science and Technology Bacteria Drinking Water Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Contamination Total dissolved solids Arid Kenya 020801 environmental engineering Coliform bacteria Fecal coliform Infectious Diseases Environmental science Water quality Water Microbiology Surface water |
Zdroj: | Journal of water and health. 18(4) |
ISSN: | 1477-8920 |
Popis: | Sand dams can be an effective community-scale solution to increasing water supplies in some arid and semi-arid regions, but there are few studies that have investigated water quality at sand dams. This study investigated the levels of coliform bacteria and salt content as parameters of potential concern. Most water taken from sand dam sources had fecal coliforms present. Median fecal coliforms were in the range of 150–800 cfu/100 ml for unprotected sources (scoop holes, surface water or hand dug wells), levels which are considered high or very high health risk. Pump wells had less contamination, with fecal coliforms detected in one-third of samples in the dry season. Despite this contamination, user surveys indicated that 74% of communities generally view water as clean for drinking, and 72% reported that no or few people in their community treat their water. Salt content in the dry season was in the poor or unacceptable range (above 900 ppm as total dissolved solids) in 33% of water samples. Results suggest that fecal coliforms and salt content represent two types of challenges to water quality at sand dams: fecal coliforms are a health hazard, whereas high salt content potentially reduces the amount of usable water that is available. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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