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Start date: 2011Subject: search.filters.subject.drinking water quality

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    Evaluation of Physico-Chemical Parameters of Drinking Water Quality in Magburaka Town, Tonkolili District, Sierra Leone
    (Science Publishing Group, 2025-10-09) Lebbie, Sahr
    This study evaluates the physico-chemical quality of drinking water from various sources in Magburaka Town, Tonkolili District, Sierra Leone, to identify potential health risks associated with water consumption. Water samples were collected from five sources, including hand-dug wells, taps, and streams, during a three-month period encompassing the dry and wet seasons. The samples were analyzed for key parameters such as pH, temperature, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and concentrations of heavy metals and other chemical contaminants. The results highlighted variations in water quality across different sources, with some samples exhibiting parameters outside the acceptable limits set by WHO guidelines. Specifically, concerns were noted regarding elevated levels of heavy metals like lead and zinc, which pose health risks upon prolonged exposure. The study emphasizes the impact of local environmental factors, such as mining activities and agricultural runoff, on water quality. Additionally, the research underscores the importance of adequate water treatment and proper sanitation practices to mitigate health risks associated with contaminated water. The findings advocate for improved water management policies, routine monitoring, and community education on water safety. This research contributes valuable data to inform interventions aimed at enhancing water quality and safeguarding public health in Sierra Leone, particularly in rural and semi-urban settings where reliance on untreated water sources remains high. Overall, the study underscores the critical need for sustainable water resource management and infrastructure development to address waterborne health hazards in the region, the research therefore recommends that further researchers should embark on a comparative study on the correlation and a clear cut of laboratory analysis on drinking water quality in other cities and its associated diseases.
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    Analysis of Physico-chemical Parameters to Evaluate the Drinking Water Quality Between Two Districts Kambia and Tonkolili in Sierra Leone
    (Science Publishing Group, 2025-02-10) Lebbie, Sahr
    The aim of the study was to compare the physico-chemical characteristics of drinking water quality in two districts in Sierra Leone. Water samples were collected for three months (September to November) across five sampling locations. These samples were then examined for a number of physico-chemical characteristics, including temperature, pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, salinity, total dissolved solids (TDS), nitrate, residual chlorine, aluminum, copper, fluoride, iron, arsenic, cadmium, lead, nickel, and mercury. The statistical values for the following parameters above were found to be within the WHO permissible values for both the Tonkolili and Kambia districts. However, some parameters exceeded the recommended WHO permissible limit for drinking water in the two districts: arsenic (2.36mg/l and 0.27mg/l), cadmium (3.69mg/l and 6.63), lead (3.03mg/l and 6.64mg/l), and mercury (1.21mg/l and 2.19mg/l) for Tonkolili and Kambia districts respectively, although the statistical standard deviation is very negligible for all four parameters. In terms of comparison between the two districts, the statistical values for salinity (0.00ppt and 0.00ppt) and iron (0.05mg/l and 0.35mg/l) for both Tonkolili and Kambia districts are within the WHO permissible limit for the samples collected in the Tonkolili district, while the samples collected in the Kambia district exceeded the recommended WHO permissible limit for the two parameters. Moreover, the statistical value for copper (4.44mg/l) exceeded the WHO standard for the samples collected in the Tonkolili district, while the samples collected from the Kambia district are found within the WHO standard for copper (0.002mg/l). conclusively, this study found that all water samples collected and examined in the two districts are safe and fit for drinking and domestic purposes. The author recommends that there should be regular monitoring and treatment (for instance, chlorinating) of the hand-dug wells and tap waters and also that other researchers undertake further studies in different seasons and also to consider other water quality parameters like the bacteriological parameters, radiological materials, etc.