Bacteriological and physicochemical studies on Tigris River near the water purification stations within Baghdad...

We studied the physical, chemical, and microbiological factors that influence drinking water quality processed from River Tigris, and of the three main drinking water purification stations located at different parts of Tigris River, along with evaluation of drinking water of Al-Shula region in Baghdad city. Water samples were taken monthly from December 2009 to September 2010. Physical and chemical analyses of water included determination of temperature, pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and biological oxygen demand. The results of water before and after purification indicated values within the international allowable levels. Microbial analyses included estimation of the number of total viable microbial counts, total coliform, total fecal E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and other pathogenic bacteria that might be present in the water of the three stations and of the Tigris River, and also the tap water from Al-Shula houses. The results indicated that the types and proportions of various bacterial species isolated from different water sources were almost similar. This indicates inefficient purification procedures in all the stations studied, which exceeded the internationally allowable level of pathogens in potable water. Also, this explains the high incidence rate of children diarrheal reported in Al-Shula region.