Physicochemical and Biological Assessment of Drinking Water Quality and its Impact on Coastal Community Health of Goth Ibrahim Hyderi, Karachi, Pakistan

Abstract

Appraisal study has been carried out on municipal supplied tap and groundwater used for drinking in Goth
Ibrahim Hyderi. Study site is an undeveloped rural area of the coastal belt of district Malir, Karachi. Ten samples each
from groundwater and municipally supplied water were randomly collected according to the size of population from
residential and commercial areas of Goth Ibrahim Hyderi. Data reveal that both the sources are chemically polluted and
sewage impacted. About 60% wells have a very high TDS (mean: 3094 mg/L). The concentration of corresponding
solutes (Na, K, Ca) and anions (Cl, SO4, HCO3) is also found to be very high. Similarly, tap water of Baloc, Kariya and
Katch is also high in its salinity. About 70% and 40% of collected samples of tap water and groundwater respectively
are sewage impacted as indicated by the occurrence of fecal coliforms and E. coli. The present study revealed that both
water sources (municipal and groundwater) are found unfit for drinking purpose in terms of their chemical and
microbiological load.

Keywords: Municipal water, groundwater, quality, community health.