Drinking water in rural farms as a risk factor to human health

Authors

  • Luiz Augusto do Amaral Universidade Estadual Paulista; Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal; Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Reprodução Animal
  • Antonio Nader Filho Universidade Estadual Paulista; Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal; Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Reprodução Animal
  • Oswaldo Durival Rossi Junior Universidade Estadual Paulista; Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal; Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Reprodução Animal
  • Fernanda Lúcia Alves Ferreira Universidade Estadual Paulista; Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal; Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Reprodução Animal
  • Ludmilla Santana Soares Barros Universidade Estadual Paulista; Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal; Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Reprodução Animal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S0034-89102003000400017

Keywords:

Drinking water^i2^sanaly, Water microbiology, Rural areas, Reservoirs, Water resources

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the sanitary quality of drinking water in rural farms through counts of microbiological indicators. METHODS: A total of 180 drinking water samples from sources, reservoirs and water from site of consumption were collected in 30 rural farms located in the northeast region of the sate of São Paulo. The most probable number of total coliforms, Escherichia coli and mesophilic microorganisms were determined. Also, the presence of protection measures for water supplies wase verified. RESULTS: The study results showed that 90.0% of drinking water samples from sources, 90.0% from reservoirs, and 96.7% from sites of consumption, collected during the rainy season, and 83.3%, 96.7% and 90.0% of samples collected in dry season were below the quality control standards for drinking water. CONCLUSIONS: Drinking water in rural farms was considered a potential human health threat. Preventive measures for protecting water sources and water treatment are necessary to significantly reduce the occurrence of waterborne diseases.

Downloads

Published

2003-08-01

Issue

Vol. 37 No. 4 (2003)

Section

Original Articles

How to Cite

Amaral, L. A. do, Nader Filho, A., Rossi Junior, O. D., Ferreira, F. L. A., & Barros, L. S. S. (2003). Drinking water in rural farms as a risk factor to human health . Revista De Saúde Pública, 37(4), 510-514. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0034-89102003000400017