PHYSICO-CHEMICAL AND BACTERIOLOGICAL EVALUATION FROM GROUNDWATERS OF PUKA CITY

The municipality of Puka in Albania has rich underground aquifers and results in many sites with natural water resources meeting water needs. According to data available from the General Directorate of Water Supply and Sewerage in 2015, out of 5,724 urban residents Puka Municipality, only 2747 were connected to the water supply network (1,105 connections), while in rural areas, out of about 12,000 inhabitants, only 2,350 were connected to the network (523 connections), the rest of the population use artisanal wells and drilling. The main purpose of this paper was to evaluate the quality of wells and drilling waters based on physico-chemical and microbiological parameters. In terms of physico-chemical results, pH, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, organic matter, calcium, magnesium, total hardness, chlorides, bicarbonates and silicon have resulted in low levels, within the norms allowed by national and international standards. Water samples from drilling and wells were collected according to European recommendations and WHO legislation. The level of bacterial contamination was higher in summer months compared to other months. Drinking water results higher polluted in the second period of sampling July-August 2019. Bacteriological results show that during the period April-May, there was a lower bacterial loading on the wells in the drinking water from wells and drilling waters with Escherichia coli and Streptococcus faecalis.