[Water pollution and its impact in the Basic Health Area of Cistierna]

The purpose of this study was the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the water in the reservoir and supply system to 27 villages of over 100 inhabitants or those which had a village council, within the Cistierna Health Area.

It was a descriptive, longitudinal, prospective and observational study. We chose certain villages for the number of their inhabitants and where water problems might have more serious effects. Medical personnel, biologists, chemists and primary care ATS-DUE (nursing staff) took part in the study.

The villages were divided into 5 groups. Water was collected at each one on the same day of every month by the same staff. Analysis went on without interruption for the 12 months from February 1, 1991, to January 31, 1992. The water was analysed at the laboratory of the Health and Welfare Territorial Service (León). Beforehand, a survey on infrastructure had been administered to the staff of the 82 neighborhood or village councils making up the Basic Health Area.

None of the villages maintained chlorination for more than 8 months. The majority chlorinated for 2 months (11.11% of the Network). Coliforms were detected in an extremely high number of places. The majority of the samples contained a significant number--to a greater or lesser extent--of fecal coliforms.

Infrastructure and maintenance of the water supply system is inadequate and insufficient. The final verdict from the analyses indicate that, in approximately half the samples taken in this rural area, the water was not drinkable neither in the reservoir nor in the supply network.