ANALYSIS OF DRINKING WATER

SOURCES IN SITIO MALASA, BAMBAN

TARLAC, PHILIPPINES
Ara Tedica Nicole F. Lopez, Emilyn D. Millares, Kathryn Cheshire P. Pangilinan,
Crissa Marie D. Pineda, Rafael Paolo T. Vera Cruz, Jaquelyn C. Wodi
Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy
University of Santo Tomas, Espaa, Manila, 1015

ABSTRACT
The main focus of this study is to analyze drinking water sources in Sitio Malasa, Bamban, Tarlac in order to determine if it contain chemical contaminants, metals and bacteria that may be harmful to the inhabitants. The Philippine National Standards for
Drinking Water was made as standard for the determination of the safety of drinking water in the affiliated community. Four water samples, originating from a deep well and flowing raw water, were carefully collected and evaluated. Residents were surveyed
regarding on the specific site where they get their drinking water from. Physical and chemical tests for the samples were assessed on the parameters stated in the said decree while bacteriologic tests were done by the researchers using the Multiple Tube Fermentation Technique. Bacteriologic test presented that all samples tested positive in the presumptive phase and only two samples tested positive for both the confirmatory and completed phase, indicating the presence for fecal coliforms in all water sources.
Furthermore, chemical tests showed that all samples surpassed the normal range for color and one sample also exceeded the normal range for turbidity and the presence of iron. Drinking water sources in the community failed the Philippine National Standards
for Drinking Water.
Keywords: fecal coliforms, Multiple Tube Fermentation Technique, Philippine national Standards for Drinking Water, water contaminants

RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION

INTRODUCTION
Water is one of the most important basic necessities in human life. However, once water
is polluted, it becomes an undesirable substance dangerous to human consumption and
healthy well-being. It is imperative that the management of quality drinking water should
be carefully considered, as it is a powerful tool in determining the environmental health of
a community. Proper management of drinking water and hygiene practices are
foundations for the prevention and control of waterborne diseases.
With regard to this, worldwide safe water intake is given prime importance by every
government, however not all countries have the capacity to secure a sanitized water. The
Philippine government has tried ensuring water safety through initiating the Integral
Water Supply Program and creating the Philippine National Standards for drinking water,
a set of standards for safe drinking water. In spite of these efforts, some Filipinos still do
not have access to potable water supplies.
This study will focus on the physical, chemical, and bacteriologic analysis of drinking
water sources from Malasa, Bamban, Tarlac, an adopted community of the University of
Santo Tomas, Faculty of Pharmacy. Isolated from any modern facilities, citizens from the
mountainous region of Malasa utilize limited natural resources available to them. Among
these natural resources are four water sources, two of which are pipes connected to a
flowing creek and the other two are water pumps. These water sources were tested for
potability under the guidelines of the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water.

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL ANALYSIS

Color
RCL
Physical Test

Turbidity

5.0 TCU

5.0 NTU Unobjectionable

Sample 1 256.0 TCU 33.0 NTU

Sample 2
Sample 3
Sample 4

Total Dissolved
Solids

Taste

6.0 TCU
9.0 TCU
11.0 TCU

2.0 NTU
5.0 NTU
2.0 NTU

Odor

500.0 ppm Unobjectionable

Objectionable

75.0 ppm

Unobjectionable

Unobjectionable
Unobjectionable
Unobjectionable

95.0 ppm
87.5 ppm
80.0 ppm

Unobjectionable
Unobjectionable
Unobjectionable

All samples showed a

positive result in the
color analysis, while
Sample 1 additionally
was positive in both
turbidity and taste tests.

*RCL: Recommended Contamination Level

**Positive result
***Negative result

Sample
Chemical Test

METHODOLOGY

Hardness

F-

Cl-

Fe

MnO2

NO3

Pb

Cu

Cr

SO2

pH

1 (Deep Well)

5.82

2 (Flowing Water)

6.69

3 (Deep Well)

6.24

4 (Flowing Water)

6.34

Both samples 1 and 3 are positive in pH analysis. Sample 1 also proved to be chemically contaminated with iron.

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL ANALYSIS

Physical Test: The color, odor, taste,
turbidity, and total dissolved solids
(TDS) were tested.
S1

S2

S3

S4

1L of samples from
four water sources
were collected in
sterile bottles.

Samples were forwarded to a

DOH accredited water testing
laboratory for physical and
chemical analysis.

BACTERIOLOGIC ANALYSIS
Presumptive Test

Sample
1 (Deep
Well)
2 (Flowing
Water)
3 (Deep
Well)
4 (Flowing
Water)

Chemical Test: presence of Chloride,

Fluoride, Hardness, Iron, Manganese,
Nitrate, Lead, Copper, Chromium, pH,
and Sulfate were tested.

0.1 ml water
A2
-

A3
-

B1
-

B2
-

B3
-

C1
+

C2
+

C3
-

All samples showed a positive results with

presence of effervescence and turbidity.

Completed
Test

S1

S2

S3

Confirmatory
Test

S4

100mL of samples
from four water
sources were collected
in sterile bottles.

Samples were inoculated in different Brilliant Green

Bile Lactose Broth (BGBLB) tubes which contains
Durnhams fermentation tube with 3 different strengths
for 24 hours at 37C .

10 ml water

A1
-

BACTERIOLOGIC ANALYSIS

Presumptive
Test

1 ml water

Positive BGBLB tube cultures are

transferred on Eosin Methylene Blue
(EMB) agar plates for isolation for
24 hours at 37C

Presence of turbidity or effervescence

shows a positive result. C1 of Sample 2
and B3 of Sample 3 yielded a positive
result for this test.

Confirmatory
Test

The plates inoculated from samples 2 & 3 yielded

a positive result of a green metallic sheen.
SAMPLE
NO.

No. of
(+) 10 ml
tubes

No. of
(+) 1 ml
tubes

No. of
(+) 0.1
ml tubes

MPN
Index/
100ml

1 (Deep
Well)
2 (Flowing
Water)
3 (Deep
Well)
4 (Flowing
Water)

33

43

33

Presence of gram-negative
coccobacilli indicates a presence of
coliforms in the water sample.
Samples 2 & 3 yielded positive result
in the gram stain of the colonies.

The Most Probable Number Index is a

statistical expression of the number of
coliforms found in the water samples.
The acceptable MPN range of <8/100ml
is not met by any of the samples.

CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION

Completed
Test

Typical coliform colonies are transferred

and inoculated on single strength BGBLB
in a Nutrient agar for 24 hours at 37C

Isolated colonies from the Nutrient

Agar slant were Gram stained and
interpreted.

Based on the data and results gathered, the following conclusion is therefore presented:
The drinking water found in all four water sources is contaminated with coliforms, with Sample 3 (deep well) having the
highest MPN index. All water sources are out of normal values in terms of color; especially Sample 1 (deep well) which is also
chemically contaminated with iron. Therefore, under the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water, all water sources
from Malasa, Bamban, Tarlac are not safe for human consumption.
Based on the results of this study and conclusion gathered, the researchers would like to recommend the following:
For readers and other researchers to use another method of water testing such as membrane filtration or plate count to further
verify and test the other microorganisms that were present on the water samples that had a positive result on the presumptive
test.
Coordination with local officials to disseminate information on proper water piping supplies and drinking water potability.