Drinking water quality, water distribution systems and human health: a microbial evaluation of drinking water sources in salt range

In developing countries such as Pakistan, waterborne infections are more common among infectious diseases due to unsafe supply of drinking water and inadequate sanitation systems.In the salt range of Pakistan, sources of drinking water in rural and suburban areas are not protected against microbial contamination resulting from poor sanitation systems and saline water seepage.To assess the bacterial contamination levels and their impact on public health, drinking water samples were collected from various sources in Khewra and Pind Dadan Khan.Total Coliforms including faecal Coliforms, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and faecal Streptococcus were determined using the Most Probable Number (MPN) method to quantify the bacterial contamination.The data collected were subjected to statistical analysis to establish the potential relationship between water contamination levels among different sources and health risks posed by different bacterial species.The results revealed the presence of different bacterial species and there was a significant difference in average microbial concentrations among different water supply systems and natural sources.Almost all of the sources were infected either with Coliform group, Staphylococcus aureus or with faecal Streptococcus.An interview-based survey was also conducted to gather information regarding disease incidence rate and results showed a strong relation in the contamination levels and disease prevalence rate.