Drinking Water Quality: Special Focus on Developing Country

By Dambar B. Khadka KaHo Sient Lieven, Gent

Introduction
Earth contains about 70% of water; majority of them is ocean water water supports food security, people livelihood, industrial growth and environmental sustainability. By 2050, 9 billion population By 2025 (IFPRI 2002) House hold use increased by 50% Irrigation use increased by only 4%

Water Quality & Human Health

Water is one of the most fundamental needs (Maslows principle of needs) Safe drinking water and sanitation is critical to maintain health, survival growth and development Drinking water quality status is worsen in developing world

Unsafe water and Health

Total 2.16 million people death per year by diarrhoeal disease 1.8 million( 88 % ) of is due to water supply, sanitation and hygiene. Diarrhoeal account to an estimated 4.1% of the total global DALY

Sources of water Pollution

Industrial Waste e.g. Boiling feed water Cleaning water , disinfection water, industrial Effluent industrial Sewage Industrial emission fuels: storage & spills etc. Municipal & Domestic e.g.. Dwellings, Sewage, Detergent, motor oil , paint etc.
Agriculture e.g.: Fertilizer, Pesticides, Antibiotic feed, Livestock waste etc.

Natural Soil geology, soil contain heavy metal

Source of water pollution

Storm water Run off water containing industrial or household or municipal garbage , spillage etc

Other e.g.. Rain and seasonal variations etc.

Land Fill Public, private & industrial land fill

Poor underground storage tank

Drinking Water quality

Drinking water Quality

Physical
TDS, DS, Appearance, Taste, Clarity, Odour

Chemical
Inorganic and organic chemical Radioactivity

Biological
Bacteria, Parasites, worms

Major water Quality problems

Biological quality Microbial or viral Diarrhoea,
Ascaris, Dracunculis, Hookworm Schistosomiasis worms Trachoma etc....

Chemicals
Arsenossis Flurosis Lead poisoning etc.... Source: WHO , 2011

Diarrhoeal death status in world

Diarrhoea is commonly taken as water quality and safety indicator

Source: WHO Data Base 2004

Water Quality difference Developed Vs Underdeveloped world

884 Million (13 %) people in the world used unimproved drinking water sources 87% of world population used improved drinking Water sources .

Figure: Regional distribution of unimproved sources in 2008 ( JMP 2010)

Water quality difference; Trend Developed Vs Underdeveloped world

Figure: Trend of getting improved sources in 1990-2008 ( WHO Database 2011)

Urban Vs Rural; Trend % accessibility of improved water

Gap is still existing between the rural and urban area of the developing world

Sanitation difference Developed Vs Underdeveloped world

Figure: regional distribution of 2.6 billion people not using improved sanitation facilities in 2008 ( JMP 2010)

Figure: Trend of getting improved sources in 1990-2008 ( WHO Database 2011)

Urban Vs Rural Access to sanitation facilities

Figure: Trend of getting improved sanitation facilities 1990-2008 ( WHO Database 2011)

Trend on use of Types water sources

Improved water

Other Improved water

Unimproved water

Water Quality &Technological Issues

Piped Distribution system Inadequate disinfection Inadequate pressure head or back sophonage intermittent water supply leakage in water Ageing and incomplete infrastructure

Water Quality &Technological Issues

Unimproved other improved drinking water sources
Unavailability of drinking water sources unplanned household and industrial waste incorrect selection of water sources Poor sanitation and Hygiene, Transportation Poverty Lack of point of use sustainable Technology

MDG Goal and Target Achievement

World within Track for Improved water sources
% Population without Improved drinking water sources Projected 9% MDG Target 12 % % Population without Improved sanitation 30 25 20 15 10 5

World off track for sanitation

50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 1990 2000 Year 2010 Projected 36 % MDG Target 23%

1 Billion 1.67 Billion

672 million

0 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year

Source: JMP 2010

Discussion
Diarrhoeal risk is more higher concerning to sub-Saharan and south Asia along with sanitation facilities Sanitation is out of Track to meet MDG target MDG goal and Projection Vs Rapid Population Growth (China and India alone with major improved water and sanitation) Poverty Poor maintenance and infrastructure Lack of knowledge, awareness Community Centralization of drinking water Improper discharge of the industrial waste and disposal Same dwelling line and pipe distribution line Politics and beurocratic situations & burdens

Discussion
Chemical quality of drinking water should not be ignored ( in some cases > WHO Guideline value)
Arsenic :

in tube well and dug well water in 20 district of Terai region in Nepal (Thakur et al. 2010) West Bengal in India considered as biggest calamity. 800,000 people, from 312 villages consumed arsenic contaminated water and minimum 175,000 people have arsenic skin lesions (Das et al. 1996) In Bangladesh and China have also been reported (Smith & Smith 2004). Chemical quality along with arsenic content found in tube well, bore whole and river water in some region of the Ghana (Rossiter et al. 2010) Fluoride : India and china are the worst affected countries in the world (Ayoob & Gupta 2007) High concentration in Rift Valley of Ethopia (Kloos & Haimanot 2002).

Conclusions and recommendations

Access to drinking water from improved sources Sanitation facilities are week in developing country ( Out of Track To meet MDG Target) Post contamination in treated water supply is Important to considered: data is emerging Some alarming regions for chemical contaminant Additionally existence burden for quality water supply are Improper management political issues and Beurocratic system Lack in adoption of the Good practices, maintenance and management of drinking water production and supply

Conclusion and Recommendation

Problem observed in the distribution system is also important particularly in the piped water supply area in developing countries. But the data is not sufficiently available for the distribution system. A complete data set is needed on this aspects to set future policy and strategies. In other hand chemical contamination in some particular area have to be identified, strengthening to alternative water resources or sustainable technology for those particular area is also equally important A multi barrier approach to sector operation and management to ensure improved quality supplied. Commitment of government, Strengthen policy and development of strategy at a country level considering water quality as a prime cause of health and economic loss integrating with the other national and international body is essential.

Question ?

Thank You