Abstract
This study has investigated the common risks associated with the water quality changes from the source to the consumer households and the associated disease burden in the piped water supplies. Samples from the source to the household storage from Nagpur City were collected and analysed for heavy metals, nutrient and microbial parameters. Sanitary risks were identified at the households during the socio-economic and sanitary survey. The water quality deterioration was the most at household storage around 30.3 % indicating that measures need to be taken to safeguard the water quality at the consumer level. Then, 31.2 % of the samples collected from public standposts and handpumps were positive for faecal contamination which implies that it is the weaker sections of the society who suffer the consequences of drinking unsafe water the most. On the basis of the laboratory results, risk analysis by surveying the WTPs, point-of-use behaviour at households and sanitary status at different socio-economic strata, the Water Safety Plan for Nagpur City was structured. The aim was to ensure that safe and improved water is reached to the individual household.
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Acknowledgements
This research work was undertaken as a part of the project ‘Implementation of Water Safety Plan (WSP) for Nagpur City’. The authors owe their sincere gratitude to World Health Organization for funding this research. They are keen to thank NEERI, especially Mr. A. Talkhande, Mr. Swapnil Kamble, Miss Anisha Nijhawan and Miss Mukta Singh Chandel, who accompanied the researcher during the sample collection from households and filling of socio-economic survey forms despite the scorching heat of Nagpur. The authors are also thankful to the NMC officials for their support during the study.
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John, V., Jain, P., Rahate, M. et al. Assessment of deterioration in water quality from source to household storage in semi-urban settings of developing countries. Environ Monit Assess 186, 725–734 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-013-3412-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-013-3412-z