EVALUATION OF WELL WATER QUALITY IN （评价的水质）.pdfVIP

Thirteenth International Water Technology Conf erence, IWTC 13 2009, Hurghada, Egyp t EVALUATION OF WELL WATER QUALITY IN HAEL REGION OF CENTRAL OF SAUDI ARABIA Ahmad I. Al-Turki Plant Production and Protection Department, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, PO BOX 6622, Buraydah 51452, Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia ABSTRACT The quality of 40 wells water in selected villages in Hael Region North Central of Saudi Arabia used mainly for drinking was examined in respect to total dissolved salts, pH, total hardness, concentrations of calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chloride, fluoride, nitrate, and bicarbonate, beside coliform bacteria as an indicator of -1 faecal contamination. TDS varied widely from 166 to 2400 mgL with an average of 557 mgL-1. Of the 40 well water tested, 7.5, 15, 7.5, 15 and 32.5% failed to meet drinking water guidelines of SASO, GC.C.S and WHO, and USEPA respectively. Regarding nitrite concentrations, 36% of the tested water samples were above the limit set by local and international standards and guidelines (50 mgL-1). Fluoride levels were below 0.6 mgL-1 in 25% of examined water wells and were above 1 mgL-1 in 22.5% of these water samples, thus only 52.5% of tested samples comply with the -1 range of fluoride concentrations set by SASO and G.C.C.S. (0.6-1 mgL ).Coliform bacteria (mainly E. coli and E. aerogenes) were detected in 20% of examined well water indicating faecal contamination. Continuous assessment of well water quality on routine basis is imperative to