TO EVALUATE FECAL CONTAMINATION AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DRINKING WATER; A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Objective: The purpose of our study was to evaluate fecal contamination and physical characteristics of drinking water. Study design: A cross sectional study. Place and Duration: This study was conducted at tertiary care hospitals of Southern Punjab Pakistan for the duration of five months April, 2020 to September, 2020. Methodology: In our study we collected 145 samples of water from different places such as storage tanks, filtration plants, tube-wells and end-user points in out-patient and emergency from different hospitals for bacteriological examination of water. At the time of samples collecting, physical characteristics were scrutinized. We used Lovibond Comparator for the estimation of Chlorine. We scrutinized pH and temperature of water. We used multiple tube methods for the exposure of the E. coli. The fecal contamination results were confirmed in the Islamabad Diagnostic Centre. SPSS v.20 was used for the analysis of data. Results: In our present study we collected 145 samples of water. In collected samples of water the ratio fecal contamination (55.86%) was found. Comparatively, 70 samples of water that were collected from private hospital the amount of fecal contamination was found 61.4% and the sample that were collected from public sector hospital the amount of fecal contamination was found 50.70% (P = 0.19). At the end of our study the result showed that coliform organisms were noticed in17.9% samples while E. coli organisms were found in 37.9% samples. Conclusions: At the end of our study, we concluded that in private and public tertiary care hospitals didn’t supply safe drinking water to their attendants and patients. All samples of fecal contamination (50%) points towards the situation gravity and this situation demands that prominent measures must be taken by the concerned authorities. Keywords: Cholera, Diarrheal Diseases, Potable Water, Fecal Contamination