Evaluation of household water treatment systems in terms of physicochemical and microbiological parameters, Adana Province (Turkey) example

Abstract

Access to safe drinking water is very important in order to protect human health. Although extensive monitoring and controlling of tap water, people state that they do not consume tap water in Turkey. Realization of minor changes in parameters such as odour, colour and taste or misdirected news on the visual media led public to use either bottled water or household water filtration systems. The aim of the present study was to reveal the present situation of contamination in the waters obtained from residential water filtration device by analyzing physical, organoleptic, some chemical and microbiological parameters. Physicochemical properties of taste, colour, odour, turbidity, pH, temperature, conductivity, total hardness, iron, aluminum and nitrate values of 300 samples (inlet and outlet of water)were evaluated. Within the scope of microbiological analysis of Clostridium perfringens, Pseudomonasaeruginosa, coliform, Escherichia coli, colony counting at 22°C and 37°C were examined. The resultsof the physicochemical analysis showed that tested values stated in the regulation. Microbiological results of samples did not comply with required standards. In particular, E. coli outbreaks showed that water contamination and disinfection procedure were inadequate. According to the paired t test results, we found that E. coli, colonic counts at 22°C and 37°C were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Asa conclusion, household water filtration devices cannot demonstrate the performance that they show for chemical pollution when it comes to microbiological contamination.