Water quality and microbial contamination status of Madawachchiya, Padaviya and Kebithigollewa areas in Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Typhoid or enteric fever is a worldwide infection caused by the bacterium Salmonella enterica. In Sri Lanka, 12,823 Salmonella positive cases were recorded and 133 cases were recorded from Anuradhapura district during 2005 to 2014. Therefore, the study was carried out to identify the microbiological and chemical contamination status of forty-four water sources in Anuradhapura area during October 2016. The study was focused to determine total coliform, faecal coliform, Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp. contamination along with some physico-chemical parameters of both ground and surface water. Sampling, transportation, and analysis were performed following standard protocols. Results of the study revealed that almost all sampling locations were contaminated with both total and E. coli bacteria and the values were not within the World Health Organization and Sri Lanka Standards drinking water quality standards. Around 32% of sampling locations were positive for Salmonella spp. and among them, 2 spring sampling locations are being highly used to extract water for drinking. However, Shigella spp. was not recorded during the study period. Majority of the sampling points were not within the Sri Lanka drinking water standards for COD and 25% sampling locations were recorded greater than 750 μS∙cm−1 conductivity. Also, 55% of locations recorded very hard water where the highest values were recorded in Padaviya. The tested other water quality parameters: NO2-N, NH3-N, and total phosphate (TP) concentrations were found within the Sri Lanka drinking water standards. PCA analysis revealed that sampling locations were grouped into three groups such as; well water, tank water and springs.

Contamination Status of Salmonella spp., Shigella spp. and Campylobacter spp. in Surface and Groundwater of the Kelani River Basin, Sri Lanka

“…causes shigellosis due to consumption of pathogenic contaminated water [19]. Numerous studies have shown that microbial pathogens, such as Salmonella and E. coli are relatively stable in groundwater [28][29][30] and surface water [31][32][33][34] and the contamination prevalence depends upon the vulnerability of water sources to anthropological activities such as bathing, washing and defecating [33,34]. The results of the study showed the occurrence of Salmonella and Campylobacter in some ground and surface water sources which may alarm possible root causes of susceptibility of gastrointestinal disease of people who consume contaminated water.…”

Water quality, microcystin-LR, and Cylindrospermopsin contamination status of spring and dug well water in CKDu high, low, and non-prevalent areas of Sri Lanka

“…The mean pH values in the Medawachchiya and Galnewa areas were within the allowable range for drinking (Imbulana et al 2020). The pH values in springs were found to be lower than those recommended by the World Health Organization and the SLSI for drinking water quality (Mahagamage and Manage 2019). Except for one ground well in Padaviya, all ground wells had pH levels within the SLSI's maximum permissible range (Mahagamage and Manage, 2019).…”

“…The pH values in springs were found to be lower than those recommended by the World Health Organization and the SLSI for drinking water quality (Mahagamage and Manage 2019). Except for one ground well in Padaviya, all ground wells had pH levels within the SLSI's maximum permissible range (Mahagamage and Manage, 2019). The average pH of Girandurukotte's groundwater varied between 6.56 and 7.22 (Kumari et al 2016).…”

“…The TH of well and spring water ranged from 5 to 208.11 mg L -1 , which was lower than the SLSI's highest desirable level for drinking water, which was 250 mg L -1 . In the Padaviya area, hard water could be found in ten of the wells (Mahagamage and Manage 2019). The Dissolved Oxygen (DO) levels of springs and well water in the study areas remained in the 1.29 to 9.54 mg L -1 range throughout the study.…”

Prevalence and Quantitative Analysis of Antibiotic Resistance Genes (ARGs) in Surface and Groundwater in Meandering Part of the Kelani River Basin in Sri Lanka

“…The quality of the water is the major indicator to determine human health, mainly in populated areas where have a high risk to receive a multitude of contaminants such as antibiotics, heavy metals, organic wastes, and xenobiotics (Qadir et al, 2008 ; Mahagamage & Manage, 2015 ). In Sri Lanka, 29% populations only get pipe-borne water facilities where day by day water requirement including drinking is fulfilled from groundwater, river, springs, and streams (CEA, 2017 ; Mahagamage & Manage, 2019 ).…”