Assessment of Potable Water Quality in Baghdad City, Iraq

Abstract

Safe drinking water is crucial for the well-being of current and future generations. This study aims to evaluate the quality of potable water in Baghdad city. Furthermore, this study compares the quality of tap and bottled water. Baghdad city was divided into 4 districts based on the water source, and 40 water samples were collected from each district. Moreover, the most popular bottled water brands were sampled and compared with the tap water samples. The quality of the analyzed potable water samples varied based on the water source. The total dissolved solid (TDS) levels exceed the palatable (>600 ppm) water levels in some districts. In addition, the concentration of sulfate was relatively high in both tap and bottled water and ranged from 200 to 330 ppm. The bottled water quality was within the acceptable limits set by the World Health Organization, but the TDS levels were relatively high. The hardness, Cl−, Pb2+, and bacteria contents in both tap and bottled water were within the standard limits. Finally, it is important to conduct radiological analyses in the future to investigate the effect of wars on Iraqi water resources.