ASSESSMENT OF PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF SURFACE WATER SOURCES IN KUSTI TOWN- SUDAN

Mohamed AE.M. Ibrahim*, Osman Babiker Osman, and Maha Hamad Mohamed Ali

ABSTRACT

Provision of ample safe water supplies is considered as a basic human right. This is an operational study on drinking water quality that carried out in Kusti town, White Nile state Sudan. The study aimed to determining the various physical and chemical quality parameters For surface water sources of Kusti town, to evaluate their suitability For domestic purposes, in accordance to the WHO guidelines and SSMO for drinking water for a period of 12 months, and to explain the effect of seasonal changes on these characteristics in order to identify the possible contamination risk of raw water and distribution system. Twelve (12) water samples were collected from the raw water sources, network and extensions on seasonal basis, as four samples per season. May, August, and January are the peak months of summer, rainy and winter seasons respectively. Seasonal data were obtained from Sudanese Metrological Authority. The gained data were analyzed for the estimation of Colour, Odour, Taste, Turbidity, Total Suspended Solids, Total Dissolved Solids, Hardness, Electrical Conductivity, pH, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Dissolved Oxygen, Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite, Manganese, Total Alkalinity, Excess Alkalinity, Calcium, Chloride, Fluoride, Potassium, Iron, Sulphate, Sodium, and Copper), all testes were carried out according to the standard methods for the analysis of Water and wastewater (APHA). Results of physicochemical parameters complied with WHO guidelines and SSMO standards in all seasons except for low concentrations of Fluoride as F- which ranged between 0.25 to 0.47mg/l in all seasons, and high concentrations of total Iron (as Fe) in all samples which ranged between 1.2 to 2.4 mg/l in all seasons, all samples showed high concentrations of BOD which ranged between 1.3 to 30 mg/l with higher concentration in winter season. Conclusion: White Nile water from physicochemical point of view is suitable for household's activities and complies with standards.

Keywords: Drinking Water, Surface water, Physicochemical, Seasonal variations, SSMO standards, WHO guidelines and SMWW.