Water Analysis of Tap Water in Galilee Academy

WATER ANALYSIS OF TAP WATER IN GALILEE ACADEMY

CHAPTER  ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

            Water plays an essential role in human life. It is one of the most abundant compound of the ecosystem.  All living organisms on earth need water for their survival and growth. It is also the basis of life and only a tiny share of all the water on earth is fresh and renewed by the water cycle. Having a good quality of water is an indispensable feature for preventing diseases and improving quality of  life.

         Some of the poor people in a rural or urban places in the Philippines are looking for a safe water but  because of the continuous growth of population, we are lack of clean and fresh water. Water quality elsewhere had become a concern owing to potential contamination.

        The water quality in Rosario, based on initial findings, the Quick Response Team and the Fish Health Unit personnel of BFAR-4A said water samples collected at the villages of Bagbag Uno (B), Ligtong 3 and Ligtong 4 indicated a dissolved oxygen (DO) level below 3-5 mg/L or within the critical level. BFAR stated that the water quality test came back with high levels of ammonia-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen and phosphates, beyond acceptable level, in all the sampling sites. Ammonia is a chemical compound produced naturally from decomposing organic matter, including plants, animals and animal wastes. The ammonia in the water samples, however, might have also come from agricultural, domestic and industrial wastes. Phosphates, on the other hand, are one of the primary nutrient sources for many forms of algae and could come from sources like domestic sewage and runoff from agricultural land, urban areas and green areas (PEMSEA and MBEMP TWA-RRA in 2006).

        Essentially, water quality testing makes sure that water is safe and meets local and international water  standards. This type of testing can be completed using water sampling techniques and using  technology to estimate the amount and level  of  chemicals. All water for human and animal use  should be tested for safety. In  addition  to  household  water, recreational and agricultural water  should also be tested.  

      The source of water is an important factor in providing safe household water. One of the most  pertinent question that arises when testing the quality of water, is what type  of contaminants  should  you look for. Studies in the Philippines showed contamination.

     According to Henrylito D. Tacio on March 8, 2018, the study done by Greenpeace Water Patrol Investigation backed up the claim. Five out of the 18 artesian wells in Benguet and Bulacan were found to contain nitrate levels well above the drinking water safety limit issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). This place is one of the example that showed contamination in the Philippines. The Greenpeace said they found out a nitrate pollution discovered in farming areas that is particularly worrisome—communities think that the water they drink every day is clean, because physically, it doesn’t smell bad or look bad. But it is actually laced with nitrate from fertilizers, which people don’t normally associate with pollution. Drinking water with high levels of nitrate can cause serious health problems, particularly among children. The greatest risk of nitrate poisoning is “blue baby syndrome,” in which affected infants develop a peculiar blue-gray skin color. They may become irritable or lethargic, depending on the severity of their condition. The condition can progress rapidly to cause coma and death if it is not recognized and treated appropriately. As someone who is concern about the  health of the other  people, it is necessary to study the details about some physical and  chemical  parameters of water.

      Access to safe water is essential to health, a basic human right and a component of effective policy for  health protection. The importance of water, sanitation and hygiene for health and development  has  been reflected in the outcomes of a series of  international policy forums. Access to safe water is  important as a health and development issue at national, regional and local levels. In some  regions,  it  has been shown that investments in water supply and sanitation can yield a net economic benefit,  because the reductions in adverse health effects and health-care costs outweigh the costs of  undertaking the interventions. This is true for investments ranging from major water supply  infrastructure through to water treatment in the home. Experience has also shown that  interventions  in  improving access to safe water favor the poor in particular, whether in rural or urban areas, and can be  an effective part of poverty alleviation strategies. (World Health Organization, 2017)

       Contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, nitrates and salt have polluted water supplies as  a result of inadequate treatment and disposal of waste from humans, livestock, industrial  discharges,  domestic discharge and extensive use of limited water resources. Today, contaminated water kills  more people. There are a number of reported cases of typhoid, diarrhea and other water borne  diseases arising from the consumption of contaminated water. Different works have been reported by many researchers on water quality assessment. Physicochemical properties of the water gets varied season  wise and in addition, anthropogenic activities such as agriculture, urbanization, domestic sewage, etc. in the catchment area resulting the deterioration of water quality.

      Physicochemical Analysis is a method of investigating physicochemical systems that makes possible a determination of the nature of the interactions between the components of a system through a study of the relations between the system's physical properties and composition. The analytical data of various physicochemical parameters indicates that some parameters like pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids , total suspended solids, turbidity and sodium are found to be in excess than the prescribed limit in some water samples of the study areas.