ASSESSMENT OF DRINKING WATER QUALITY IN GRAND KHARTOUM CITY, KHARTOUM STATE, SUDAN

Due to the recurrent migration to Grand Khartoum City, demand for safe drinking water is greatly wanted and obsessing the concerned authorities and stakeholders. In this study, the physical, chemical and the bacteriological quality of 40 drinking water samples comprised of twenty network treated surface water samples and twenty untreated groundwater (wells) samples, in the Grand Khartoum City was assessed using standard methods. Results revealed that electrical conductivity (EC dS/m), total dissolved salts (TDS mg/l) and the major ions of the surface water samples comply with the maximum permissible limits set by the local standards and guidelines, while those of groundwater exceed these standards in some of the wells studied. Nitrate concentration ranged between 0.0 - 66.0 mg/l and 5% of the well water samples were above the upper limits set by the local, regional and international standards and guidelines. The level of fluoride ranged between 0.2 and 1.2 mg/l is, therefore, alarming since 40% of the well water samples were below the lower permissible limit of 0.6 mg/l set by SASO & GCCS as safeguard against dental caries. Bacteriological analyses showed positive coliform test (25% of the treated surface water and 45% of the well water) thus indicating the crucial need for sustained and efficient disinfection to remove the public concern regarding water transmitted diseases.