Open AccessEvaluation of surface water quality for human consumption potential in the upper reaches of Sis Icán, Guatemala
Author(s) -
Milton Leonel Chán Santisteban,
Wagner Peña Cordero
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
cuadernos de investigación uned/cuadernos de investigación uned
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1659-4266
pISSN - 1659-441X
DOI - 10.22458/urj.v7i1.856
Subject(s) - fecal coliform , water quality , environmental science , contamination , livestock , surface water , pollution , hydrology (agriculture) , agriculture , environmental engineering , environmental chemistry , geography , forestry , ecology , biology , chemistry , geotechnical engineering , engineering
In Guatemala 90 % of urban water has a rural origin and 70% of the sources are superficial. We selected three rivers of the upperbasin of Sis Icán (Chita, and Sacobá Ixconá-Sis; Pacific coast) to assesdrinking water. The watersheds have agriculture and livestock farms,as well as urban and rural populations. Water quality was assessed in the origin and end of each river, in 2012. The variables measured were:NO3, NO2 =, SO4 =, Fe, Cl, Mn, hardness, total coliforms and fecal coliforms.We applied the water pollution index, which is the average of the ratios between observed parameters and regulated standard values.We found statistically significant inputs for chemical and microbiological contaminants (total and fecal coliforms). The level of chemicalcontaminants does not compromise the quality of water for human consumption, but the biological contamination does.