The assessment of water samples taken from natural water sources in the region of tunceli in terms of physical, chemical and microbiological analyses

In the globalizing world, urbanization and rapid increase in population bring along a number of problems. One of the most important problems is the matter pollution. People need 2.5 liters of drinking water in average to implement their biological and physiological activities. In order to enable water, which is of vital importance for humans, to reach a certain quality standard on all areas where it is made use of- especially on drinking and using it- countries have improved and carried out different legislations. In this work, the natural spring waters in the center and counties (Pertek, Ovacık, Çemişgezek, Hozat, Pülümür, Mazgirt, Nazımiye) of Tunceli have been researched from the standpoint of physical, chemical and microbiological parameters in accordance with the standards for drinking water that Turkish Standards İnstitution (TS-226), World Health Organization (WHO) and European Standards (EC) specified and their possible statistical difference between water samples taken from springs in 7 weeks periods have been analyzed in terms of water quality parameters. Throughout this work, 56 water samples which were taken from 8 springs in weekly periods for 7 weeks have been used as the material. As a part of suspended solids. In the physical analyses temperature, pH, conductivty parameters; in the chemical analyses calciumi magnesium, total hardness, ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, iron, chlorine and sulphate parameters; in microbiological analyses total mesophilic aeropic bacteria values and coliform bacteria values have been analyzed. As for statistical analysis, One-Way Manova Duncan test and Kruskal Wallis test has been applied. The range of pH values of the water springs vary between 7.24-8.36; Temperature 2.9-12.7 ˚C; Conductivity 165.8-760 μS/cm; Calcium 22.4-102.6 mg/L; Magnesium 1.94-70.04 mg/L; Total hardness 8.44-39.16 ˚F; Nitrite <0.001-0.6734 mg/L; Nitrate 0.0162-10.0104 mg/L; Phosphate 0.679-1.111 mg/L; Chlorine 0.9997-10.9966 mg/L; Sulphate 6.9545-40.5341 mg/L and the difference between the values of these parameters is statistically significant (p<0.05). However, the quantity of iron (mg/L) in all the water samples is the under the value of analysis limit; therefore, it couldn't be determined. In the microbiological analyses carried out, it has been ascertained that total mesophilic aeropic bacteria values vary between 3х101-4.8х102 (CFU/mL), Coliform bacteria values vary between <1-2.8х101 (CFU/mL) and Ammonium values vary between <0.001 ile 0.1336 mg/L and the difference between values is not statistically important (p<0.05). It has also been determined by the weekly examined Parameters that only the difference between the values of calcium, nitrite, magnesium and phosphate are statistically significant (p<0.05). As a result, it has been determined that 90% of water samples analyzed have conformed to TSE, WHO and EC standards. It has been determined that at some weeks the measurements of Tekya fountain the 2nd station have not conformed to the standarts in terms of nitrite and coliform bacteria. Key Words: Drinking water, Water quality, Physical characteristics, Chemical characteristics, Microbiological characteristics, Tunceli.