Determination of Water Quality Index for Various Sources of Drinking Water in Tando Allahyar City

Abstract

Water is vital to human existence, and recently, the demand for bottled water has increased for drinking purposes. However, people still use tap water and groundwater for different purposes due to their financial constraints. The examination of Tando Allahyar city's water quality is necessary due to the issue of people's access to clean drinking water. This research has determined the water quality of these three sources of drinking water, viz. Bottled water, tap water, and groundwater at Tando Allahyar were evaluated using the Water Quality Index (WQI) criteria. This research will increase public awareness. WQI was determined using various water quality parameters (physical, chemical, and biological), including pH, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, hardness, dissolved oxygen, total coliforms, and chloride. This research computes the WQI for all three water sources used in three selected areas of Tando Allahyar City. This research compares the WQI of various drinking water sources and proposes possible solutions to ensure safe, affordable drinking water. Three locations in Tando Allahyar provided tap and groundwater samples, which were gathered and evaluated in the lab. These locations include Prem Nagar, Qila Area, and Mujahid Colony, and the most commonly used Bottled Waters were collected in the same areas of the city. The WQI of tap water at three selected locations was within the good-quality range. The WQI of groundwater at two selected locations was in the poor-quality range; however, one location was in the good-quality range, though still on the borderline. The WQI of all seven bottled waters was in the excellent range. The study contributes to clean drinking water and raises awareness of the health risks posed by low-quality water.