PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND MICROBIAL QUALITY OF THAMAR CITY DRINKING WATER, YEMEN

This study aimed to evaluate the microbial, chemical and physical quality of drinking water in Thamar city, Yemen and assess the water chlorination treatment effectiveness in water microbial quality. Samples included water from wells, main reservoirs and distribution systems from household tanks in some zones. The results showed that total bacterial count was above the WHO and Yemeni standards which ranged between 33 - 52 ? 103, 173 - 196 ? 103 and 52 - 180 ? 103 CFU/ml in wells, main reservoirs and household tanks water respectively, while total coliform bacteria didn?t found in all wells and main reservoirs water samples but it was present in all water samples from household tanks except one group of regions included in this study which ranged between 4- 23 MPN/100 ml of water. Water treatment with sodium hypochlorite at 2 mg /l reduced its microbial load and improved its microbial quality. The results also showed that all chemical and physical parameters of water samples were within WHO and Yemeni standards value except total alkalinity level which was above these standards.