Assessment of the quality of drinking water of Halabja City- Iraqi Kurdistan

The quality of drinking water is a crucial factor for human health. The objective of this study was to assess the physico chemical and biological characteristics of the various sources of drinking water in the city of Halabja, Iraqi Kurdistan. Forty water samples were collected and analyzed for physic-chemical and biological characteristics. The study included 27 samples from municipality wells and 13 samples from household tap water. Analysis was done for physico-chemical parameters including pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), Chloride (Cl ) , Alkality M, Alkality P, Aluminum (Al) , Copper (Cu) , Calcium (Ca) , Boron (B) and MPN .The results were compared with the standards prescribed by World Health Organization (WHO). All the physico –chemical parameters were found to be within allowable limits. It can, therefore, be concluded that the groundwater in the study area is suitable for drinking and other household purposes. But From the pH values it is clear that the ground water of the study area is alkaline in nature and the total hardness varies between 203-323 mg/l which indicate that water in the deep aquifer is hard hence suggested to Halabjah water director to soften the tube well water before consumption. There were no statistically significant differences between water samples from wells and households in terms of these parameters. Although the drinking water of the area is considered safe. Nevertheless biological surveillance is need especially in hot weather. Kirkuk University Journal /Scientific Studies (KUJSS) Volume 10, Issue 3, September 2015 , p.p(259-272) ISSN 1992 – 0849 Web Site: www.kujss.com Email: kirkukjoursci@yahoo.com, kirkukjoursci@gmail.com 260 Keyword: Halabja, Drinking water, water quality, physico-chemical analysis, MPN. ت ةنيدم يف برشلا هايم ةيعون مييق ةجبمح ك و قا رعلا ناتسدر دبع لصيف للها حلاص 1 اطع , للها مساق رمع 2 , للهادبع نيما ةمح قراط 3 نامثع حصان , 4 ةنيم ركباب دمحم , 5 1 faisal_ab1@yahoo.com, 2 K.C.C2006KCC@yahoo.com, 3 Envt.tarea@yahoo.com 4 M.babakir@yahoo.com, 5 Nasih.othman@yahoo.com ميلسلا ةينقتلا ةعماج ةسائر ا قارعلا ناتسدرك ميلقا / ةين 1,2,4,5 3 ةيضرملا تلايلحتلا مسق / ةجبلح ىقتلا دهعم / قارعلا ناتسدرك ميلقا :ثحبلا ملاتسا خيرات 3 / 3 / 5102 :ثحبلا لوبق خيرات 5 / 6 / 5102 لا صخمم ةسا ردلا هذى نم فديلا ناكو .ناسنلإا ةحصل مساح لماع يى برشلا هايم ةيعون وى ةيئايزيفلا صئاصخلا مييقت رداصمل ةيجولويبلاو ةيئايميكلاو ك يف ةجبمح ةنيدم يف برشلا هايم نم ةفمتخم و نيع نيعبرأ عمج مت ثيح. قا رعلا ناتسدر ة هايم تو ت م ةيجولويبلا صئاصخلا ةفرعمل ايميمح و ةسا ردلا تممشو . ةيئايميكلاو ةيئايزيفلا 22 نيع ة نم هايم رابلآا لا و ةيدمب 13 نيع ة لزنملا ةيفنحلا هايم نم ةي ليصوتلا ,ةضومحلا ةجرد كلذ يف امب ةيئايميكلاو ةيئايزيفلا تا رتيما راب ليمحت مت دقو . ( يئابريكلا EC ئاذلا ةبمصلا داوملا ,) ( ةب TDS ( يمكلا رسعلا ,) TH ,)رومكلا( ديرومك ,) Alkality M , Alkality P , ( موينمللأاو Al ( ساحنلاو ,) cu ( مويسلاكلاو ) cl ( نوروبلا ةنراقم تمتو ,) B عم ) MPN و . تنروق جئاتنلا ريياعملا عم يتلا ت ( ةيملاعلا ةحصلا ةمظنم اييمع صن WHO تا رتيما راب عيمج ىمع روثعلا مت . ) ةيئايميكلا نمض نوكتل ةيئايزيفلا و برشلا ضا رغلأ ةبسانم يى ةسا ردلا ةقطنم يف ةيفوجلا هايملا نأ ىلإ صمخن نأ نكمي يلاتلاب .ايب حومسملا دودحلا و غلال يف ةيومق وى ةسا ردلا ةقطنمل ةيفوجلا هايملا نأ حضاولا نم ينيجوردييلا مقرلا ميق نم نكلو .ىرخلأا ةيلزنملا ضا ر عيبطلا نيب حوا رتي يمكلا رسعلاو ة 203 323 ةقيمعلا ةيفوجلا هايملا ةقبط يف هايملا نأ ىلإ ريشت يتلاو رتل / غمم يى ةجبمح هايم ريدم ىمع حرتقا يلاتلابو ةبعص ةيئاصحإ ةللاد تاذ قورف دجوت لا . كلايتسلاا لبق اديج ءاملا بوبنأ نييمت Kirkuk University Journal /Scientific Studies (KUJSS) Volume 10, Issue 3, September 2015 , p.p(259-272) ISSN 1992 – 0849 Web Site: www.kujss.com Email: kirkukjoursci@yahoo.com, kirkukjoursci@gmail.com 261 نم تويبلا هايمو رابلآا نم هايملا تانيع نيب .ةنمآ ربتعت ةقطنم يف برشلا هايم نأ نم مغرلا ىمع . ريياعملا هذى ثيح .راحلا سقطلا يف ةصاخو ةيجولويبلا ةبقا رملا ىلا جاتحي ونإف كلذ عمو لا تاممك لا : ةلاد ةيجولويابلا , ةيئايميكلا و ةيئايزيفلا ليمحت , ءاملا ةدوج , برشلا ءام , ةجبمح .


1.INTRODUCTION
Drinking water must be free from constituents hazardous to human health including some minerals, organic substances and pathogenic microorganisms. Large portions of the population in developing countries suffer from water-related health problems either due to shortage of safe drinking water or due to the presence of hazardous substances and microbial contamination of water [1]. Poor water quality is responsible for the death of an estimated 5 million children in the developing annually [2]. The Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) for Water Supply and Sanitation, implemented by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, reports that 783 million people in the world (11% of the total population) have no access to safe water, 84% of whom live in rural areas [3]. Iraq has insufficient fresh water [4].The global environment is changing continuously due to unfavorable alteration of surroundings, holly as a by-product of man's actions, through direct or indirect effects of changes in energy pattern, radiation levels, chemical and physical constitution of organisms. These changes may affect man directly or through his supplies of water and of agricultural and other biological products, the most common types of pollution and pollutants discharged, encountered in domestic and industrial waste waters, along with their possible effects on the water resources are discussed. Chemicals are a major source of water Contamination [5], that introduced during water movement through geological materials, manufactured chemicals may cause problems. Fertilizers and pesticides are major contributors to water pollution; Nitrates from fertilizers are a common chemical pollutant of water. Heavy metals, sulphates, nitrates, chlorides, phosphates, carbonates, ammonia, pesticides, phenols, soaps and detergents are the common chemical pollutants. The WHO estimated that in developing countries about 80% of water pollution is a result of domestic waste. Water quality is used to describe the condition of the water, including its physical, chemical and biological characteristics, usually with respect to its suitability for a particular purpose (i.e., drinking, swimming or fishing) [6]. The drinking water of Halabja city is supplied through two sources. Part of the city is supplied through Ahmadawa water project; a spring water source pumped to an elevated storage tank in Halabja where it is chlorinated and distributed through the water network. The other source includes 27 of deep wells pumped either directly to the network or pumped to elevated storage tanks after chlorination and then distributed to the water network. Suitability of water for various uses depends on type and concentration of dissolved minerals and groundwater has more mineral composition than surface water [7]. The quality of groundwater changes constantly in response to daily, seasonal and climatic factors. Continues monitoring of water quality parameters is highly crucial because changes in the quality of water have far reaching consequences in terms of its effects on man and biota [7]. Moreover, the inadequate management of water systems can cause serious problems in the availability and quality of water [8]. The aim of this study was the assessment of physical, chemical and biological quality of the drinking water in the city of Halabja for determines its suitability for drinking purposes.

2.MATRIALS AND METHODS
Halabjah is one of the district towns of Sulaimani governorate located 80 Km southeast of We used multi-direct photometer for the analysis with standard reagents and deionizer water for experimental purposes (Photometer Multidirect Instruction, 2011).The bacteriological analysis was done using MPN method with MacConky broth multiple tube method for determining the most probable number of coliforms [9]. All the precautions were taken as given in APHA, AWWA, WPCF (2003), for sampling and analysis [10].

3.RESULTS
Table (1) shows the results of samples from the municipality wells and Table (2) shows the same results for samples taken from households supplied by these wells. pH of all samples ranged from 6.3-8.08. Total dissolved solids (TDS) ranged from 209-705 and total hardness ranged from 203-323mg/l.The chloride content of water sample ranged from 0.6-24.5mg/l and calcium content was varied widely between 22-289 mg/l. The MPN index ranged from 1 to 6 per 100 ml. For values of other constituents please see Table (1) and (2). The mean values of physicchemical parameters for all 40 samples are shown in Table (3). The mean TDS was 341(SD 129), the mean total hardness was 257(SD 32),the mean chloride content was 6.9 mg( SD 4.7) per Halabja liter and the mean calcium was 107 mg (SD 59.8) per liter. The mean MPN index for contamination was 2.9 (SD 1.6) per 100 ml. We compared the mean values of these parameters between the wells and the household samples for any significant differences. Although there were some differences between the wells and household but none of these differences were statistically significant except temperature and alka-m. See Table (3). The mean values of alka-m for the well samples was 223(SD 104) compared to 166 (SD 14) for the household samples, a difference which was statistically significant at 0.05%. Although MPN was higher in household samples than well samples (3.3 vs. 2.6) but this difference was not statistically significant.

4.DISCUSSION
In this study 27 samples from municipality wells and 13 samples from household tap water were collected and analyzed for physic-chemical and biological characteristics. One limitation of this study is that it was performed in one season however; the season of the study was in winter.
There were no statistically significant differences between water samples from wells and households in terms of these parameters. pH indicates the intensity of acidic or basic character at a given temperature. pH is an important factor that determines the suitability of water for various purposes [13]and it is one of the most important operational water quality parameters. PH values higher than 8.5 are not suitable for effective disinfection while values less than 6.5 enhance corrosion in water mains and household. Therefore, the pH values for all well and house within  [14]. In groundwater hardness is mainly contributed by bicarbonates, carbonates, sulphates and chlorides of calcium and magnesium. The principal hardness causing ions are calcium and magnesium. The acceptable limit of total hardness is 100mg/l and maximum limit 500 mg/l was less than the WHO guideline value of 500 mg/L as CaCO3 [15]. Durfor and Becker have classified water as given in Table ( [11]. Electrical conductivity is a measure of cations in water which can greatly affect its taste and thus has significant impact on the acceptability of water for drinking [17] and its suitability for irrigation. Higher value of conductivity shows higher concentration of dissolved ions .Electronic conductivity is a useful tools to assess the purity of water. The acceptable limits of Ca 2+ 75 mg/l. 100% of water samples showed Ca 2+ concentration above the acceptable limit.

5.CONCLUSION
In this study characterization of physicochemical parameters and biological test of twenty seven wells of groundwater and thirty house samples at Halabjacity area was carried out. To assess the quality of ground water and end point user each parameter was compared with the standard desirable limits prescribed by World health organization (WHO). From the study it can be concluded that groundwater is safe for drinking purposes from the point of view of level of pH , Hardness , TDS , Ca , Boron , Alka-p , Alka-m, Al , Cu , Cl , conductivity and MPN. However biological surveillance is need especially in hot weather. But from the total hardness varies between 203-323 mg/l, which indicates that water in the deep aquifer is hard. Hence it is recommended that Halabjah water directorate take actions to soften the well water before consumption. Further research to carry out chemical and biological studies for existing water sources.

6.ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Authors thanks Sulaimani polytechnic university and Halabjah water directorate for institutional facilities and help us.