Spring Water Quality and Human Health: An Assessment of Natural Springs of Margalla Hills Islamabad Zone-III

Abstract

Water is the earth's most valuable compound that is fundamental for humans as well as all other living forms and seems to be inexhaustible. Unfortunately the outlook for the world's fresh water supply is not very hopeful. Moreover shortage of fresh water throughout the world can be directly attributed to human misuse in the form of pollution. Water is used for number of purposes like drinking, bathing and washing etc. so it must be free from toxic materials for healthy human and aquatic life. Among surface waters, springs' water is usually considered as safe for drinking. In the present study, springs' water of Margalla Hill Zone III Islamabad was assessed to clarify the concern about the quality and safety of this water used for drinking purposes in terms of physico-chemical (color, temperature, pH, odor, turbidity, hardness, TDS, EC, alkalinity, DO, Cl -, NO 2 -, NO 3 2-, SO 4 2-, heavy metals) and microbiological parameters (total Coliform, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus and Staphylococcus auerus). For this purpose, 15 water samples were collected from five different sites of Margalla Hills. Results showed that WHO drinking water standards were exceeded for EC, DO, cadmium, lead and microbiological parameters which may be detrimental for human health if water is consumed on daily basis. All other selected parameters did not exceed WHO drinking water standards and therefore, water from the sampling area does not pose any significant threat to consumer's health.

Validity assessment of some spring water in Akra District, Kurdistan region, Northern Iraq as a safe drinking water

“…All the springs exhibit seasonal variation in Alkalinity, except Kadane spring. In this study are significantly lower than those reported by Batool et al (2018).…”

Spring water quality assessment using water quality index in villages of Barwari Bala, Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

“…Sodium (Na + ) and potassium (K + ) are also widely used as important indicators for assessing water quality. Sodium is an essential nutrient needed by the human body for a number of functions such as muscle and nerve function, but an elevated concentration of Na + may cause a high chance of blood pressure and consequently increase the rate kidney failure (Batool et al 2018). On the other hand, although no adverse health effects have been reported to be caused by potassium intake through drinking water, it can cause an unpleasant taste and corrosion of pipes (Karavoltsos et al 2008).…”

Searching and studying the “Siliceous springs” of Jizzakh and the role of such springs in improving human health (Uzbekistan)

“…Springs are not only a drinking source, but also a religious (shrine, sacred) place, a tourism object (religious tourism, ecological tourism, etc. ), the main water resource for irrigation, economic activities, swimming, recreation, ecological sports and serves as a place for aesthetic enjoyment of nature [2][3].…”