Municipal Floods – Impacts and Mitigation

Symposium

A Preliminary Study of Water Quality in Rural

Belize
Ms. Karen Waight M.Sc., Mr. Josue Ake M.Sc., Ms. Joselyn Romero
B.Sc., Dr. Thippi Thiagarajan*
Faculty of Science and Technology, University of
Belize, Belmopan
 Introduction

Issue of Concern:
- the quality of the water in rural communities.
- the impact of seasonal change on the portable
water supply in rural communities.
Importance:
The availability of good quality potable water
is an important feature for preventing diseases
and improving quality of life for rural
populations of the developing countries.
 Introduction cont.
• What is the nature of Natural water?

• What is the impact of pollution on Drinking

water?

• What is water quality and what standards are

used to test water quality?

• What is the source of water for most rural

communities?
 Study Site
• The Sibun watershed is mostly forest and marshland with
some agriculture land that are under milpa, citrus, cacao and
pasture land (Figure 1).
• Site 1 is 200 meters from the village on the west and it used
by the villagers for drinking purpose (Figure 2).

Figure 1. The Maya Mountain – the Figure 2. Site 1 during wet season
main watershed of Sibun River
 Study Site
Site 2 is called the Dry Creek and it originates from the Maya
mountains. This site is frequented by villagers for swimming/bathing
purpose (Figure 3).

Site 3 is called the Santa Martha River and this site is mainly used
for swimming and some people use it for drinking purposes. Site 3 is
the most frequently used site by the villagers (Figure 4).

Figure 3. Site 2 during wet season Figure 4. Site 3 during wet season
 Methodology
• Physical: temperature, pH, turbidity ,
conductivity (DR/850 colorimeter)
• Chemical: nitrates, phosphate, chloride
(YSI 599 Replaceable Module kit)
• Biological: coliforms -fecal and non fecal
(selective media: Mc Conkey Agar, SS Agar)

- The study design consisted of an intensive

water sampling from the creeks/rivers on
a monthly basis for a period of 3 months
during wet season (October – December)
and dry season (February to April).
- All samples tested in triplicates an average.
 Results for the Physical Parameters

PHYSICAL PARAMENTERS OF SURFACE WATER OBTAINED IN DRY AND WET SEASON

Month Temperature o C pH Conductivity Turbidity Dissolved O2 (mg/L)

  Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Ste 1 Site 2 Site 3 Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Site 1 Site 2 Site 3
3 8 6.37 6.34 6.25
Feb 22.9 22.6 22.6 5.48 5.53 6.15 0.07 0.03 0.03 9
2 5 6.09 7.25 5.51

March 26.6 24.0 24.9 5.18 5.54 4.31 0.06 0.05 0.04 6
1 2 2.5 3.62 3.5
April 28.4 28.5 27.8 9.37 9.13 8.62 0.06 0.05 0.04 6

Oct 24.8 25.4 25.4 5.73 5.41 6.09 0.03 0.06 0.03 3 2 2 1.7 1.76 1.8

Nov 23.7 23.9 23.4 4.65 5.63 5.34 0.02 0.04 0.03 2 1 2 1.51 1.11 1.33

Dec 23.5 24.6 24.7 5.13 5.51 5.63 0.03 0.05 0.04 1 1 1 1.12 2.1 1.53
 Results for Chemical Parameters
Concentration of Chloride, Nitrates and Phosphate in surface water

Chlorine
  Nitrates Phosphates

site 1 site 2 site 3 site 1 site 2 site 3 site 1 site 2 site 3

February 0.05 0.01 0.59 0.055 0.045 0.035 0.76 0.535 0.81

March 0.07 0.01 0.04 0.08 0.07 0.04 0.29 0.21 0.89

April 0.12 0.02 0.05 0.03 0.02 0.03 0.62 0.27 0.72

October 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.04 0.01 0.03 0.89 0.78 0.14

November 0.06 0.03 0.01 0.03 0.02 0.03 1.16 2.75 1.38

December 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.035 0.015 0.03 0.72 1.48 0.76
 Biological Parameters
Fecal Coliforms (CFU/ml)

Month Site 1 Site 2 site 3

February 38 35 20

March 46 42 16

April 32 28 26

October 190 130 108

November 80 44 46
Figure 5. Concentration of Fecal Coliforms
During Wet and Dry Season
December 42 40 28
 Presence of Salmonella and Shigella During Wet Season

Shigella (CFU/mL) Solmonella (CFU/mL)

Month Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Month Site 1 Site 2 Site 3

October 460 330 340 October 0 52 33

November 600 310 240 November 14 10 12

December 650 720 300 December 0 12 0

 Sample of cultures

Figure 6 Samples on Mc Conkey Figure 7 Samples on Mc Conkey

Agar cultured in dry season Agar cultured in wet season
 Discussion
• Water quality monitoring is the critical step towards creating awareness of the importance
of water quality among the general public.

• Many studies relate fecal contamination of water bodies to enteric diseases in human
populations (Bail et al., 2014; Gwimbi, 2011; Mitch et al., 2010).

• Surveys in the St. Margaret village indicate that children suffer from diarrhea and other
gastrointestinal disorders associated with consumption of water from the creeks included in
this study.

• High microbial contamination during the wet season indicates that rainfall has a direct
impact on the nutrient leaching and fecal contamination of water bodies as run-off water
carries human and animal waste in to the nearby water bodies (Hill et al., 2006).

• Since farming activities are found around the watershed area of St. Margaret village, there
is high chance of animal fecal contamination reaching the creeks during rainy season.

• Water quality monitoring is necessary for prevention of waterborne diseases and organisms
such as Shigella and Salmonella which are important indicator microorganisms . (Cabral,
2010).
 Conclusion
• Many people living in rural Belize do not have access to
treated potable water. The main source of water for rural
population is mainly nearby rivers and creeks. These water
bodies are used for recreational as well as domestic purpose
including drinking water.

• Water quality monitoring is necessary.

• Watershed management is necessary.

• Government also ought to provide healthy drinking water for

the public to avoid serious health risk associated with the
consumption of contaminated water
 Recommendation

• An appropriate measurement to chlorinate the and a

time period of how often the water should be treated
must be implemented by the rural health authorities.

• Guidelines should be set on the distance between pit

latrines and farmlands in order to avoid leachate.

• Establishment of protocols to monitor water quality in

the communities and designation of officials to
undertake these responsibility.
• Develop awareness programs to inform the
communities of the status of the water quality and
methods that can be used to avoid getting ill as a
result of contamination.

• Farmers can adopt more sustainable farming

strategies to reduce the amount of runoff from
farms and reduce the amount of pesticides being
used.

• The microbial analysis should be performed to also

analyze other microbial pathogens present osuch as
enterococcus, amoebas, vibrio cholera etc.
 References
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• Cabral, J.P., 2010, Water microbiology, Baterial Pathogens and Water, International Journal of Environmental research and
Public Health, 7 (10), 3657 – 3703.
 
• Eaton, A. D., Clesceri, L.S., Greenberg, A.E. (eds.). 1995. Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 19th
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• Hill, D.D., Owens, W. E., and Tchounwou, P.B., 2006, The impact of rainfall on fecal coliform bacteria in Bayou, Dorcheat (North
Louisiana), International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 3 (1), 114 – 117.
 
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Biology, 2 (4), 52-58.
 
• Statistical Institute of Belize, 2010, Population and Housing Censes, Report 2010, P
 
 
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THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!!!