Investigating the problems of drinking water quality and their possible solutions in Antalya city with help of inspecting public opinion

ABSTRACT INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEMS OF DRINKING WATER QUALITY AND THEIR POSSD3LE SOLUTIONS IN ANTALYA CITY WITH THE HELP OF INSPECTING PUBLIC OPINION Evrim Çelik Advisor: Prof. Dr. Habib Muhammetoğlu M. Sc. in Environmental Engineering June 2005, 3 10 Pages Groundwater is the main water resource in Antalya city for drinking purposes. Groundwater quality from the wells and springs in the city has no problem except high calcium hardness. However, some pollutants enter the drinking water distribution network during maintenance operations and water cutoff. This pollution is mainly in the form of soil particles, which change the color of water and cause high turbidity and undesired taste and odor. Deterioration of the drinking water quality is also reported in the regions, which have old distribution networks. Because of this hardness and pollution, most of the people in Antalya do not drink water from the distribution network. Instead, they search for other sources such as bottled water and small package treatment plants. The public usually exaggerate the health impacts of hardness and they are suspicious about the quality of water because they do not receive regular information about the quality of water that they drink. The aim of this study is to investigate the public opinion about the problems of potable water quality and possible solutions. A questionnaire was prepared for this purpose and 800 persons were face to face interviewed. The investigated persons were with different education levels, income rates, ages, and gender. The results of the questionnaire showed that more than 50% of the people do not use the drinking water distribution network for drinking purposes. The main reason for mthat was that they overstate the health impacts of hardness. Additional reasons were pollution of water. Moreover, the results of the questionnaire showed that all the investigated persons regardless of their gender, age, education level or income were willing to get information about the quality of water and its impacts. In addition, they would like to know about the results of the water quality-monitoring program mainly by brochures. As a result of this research, the percentage of public who use the tap water for drinking purposes can be increased by taking rather cheap actions such as organizing public awareness campaigns about the quality of water and the actual health impacts of hardness in drinking water, distributing brochures that include the results of the measurement and analyses of drinking water monitoring program, reducing the cutoff of water as possible and preventing the pollution of water during the maintenance operations by for example using the drainage valves. Additionally, the old parts of the water distribution network in Antalya should be renewed. KEY WORDS: Antalya, drinking water, hardness, public awareness, questionnaire, social factors COMMITTEE: Prof. Dr. Habib MUHAMMETO?LU (Advisor) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ismail TUFAN Prof. Dr. Bülent TOPKAYA IV