Quality of Ethiopian Bottled Water Marketed in Hawassa

Access to safe drinking water is essential for human health. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the bacteriological and physico-chemical quality of six brands of bottled water marketed in Hawassa, Ethiopia. A total of 105 samples were collected from bottling plants, wholesalers, and retailers and analyzed for total coliforms(TC), thermotolerant coliforms (TTC),E.coli,heterotrophic plate count (HPC), and standard physico-chemical parameters.Bacteriological analysis revealed that raw water from companies A, C, and F had 80-100% TC and TTC contamination. Overall,32.2% and 8.9% of bottled water samples were positive for TC and TTC,respectively, while none contained E. coli. HPC results indicated that only 38.3% of samples met FDA standards, with counts ranging from 23 to 21,363 cfu/mL(mean±SD:2,904 ± 4,634cfu/mL). Physico-chemical parameters were within permissible limits, although total alkalinity,TDS, and pH varied significantly among brands (p< 0.05).Despite compliance by some brands,32.2% of bottled water in Hawassa exceeded the zero-tolerance limit for coliforms, indicating potential health risks. Strengthened bacteriological quality control is recommended for safety.

Autorentext

Dr. Beselam Tadesse is a Senior Researcher at the Bio and Emerging Technology Institute (BETin), Ethiopia. She holds extensive experience in environmental biotechnology, water quality assessment, and public health research.