Physical-chemical and microbiological quality of water in underground reservoirs in the city of Vitória da Conquista-BA for potability purposes

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate and present the results of the monitoring of the physical-chemical and microbiological quality of the underground water of the city of Vitória da Conquista, located in southwest Bahia, verifying its conformity with the Legislation. Six tubular wells were selected to serve residential, condominiums and federal educational institutions distributed in the urban area of the municipality. The study analyzed the following parameters: temperature, pH, oxireduction potential, turbidity, color, dissolved total solids, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, salinity, total coliforms and coliforms thermotolerant over seven months of uninterrupted monthly monitoring. It has been observed that the pH, color, turbidity, biochemical oxygen demand and dissolved oxygen parameters are outside the permitted range in most of the analyzed wells. One of the wells presented contamination by thermotolerant and total coliforms, showing itself unfit for human consumption. It is concluded that the studied wells lack conventional or simplified treatment to achieve acceptable drinking levels. The monitoring of the physico-chemical and microbiological variables helped to improve the database on the quality of the groundwater of the city.