Seasonal evaluation of physicochemical and bacteriological quality of drinking water in Gidole Town, Southern Ethiopia

In many poor countries, access to clean drinking water continues to be a serious public health concern. The purpose of this study was to perform a seasonal assessment of the physicochemical and bacteriological quality of drinking water in Gidole Town, Southern Ethiopia, from sources to consumer taps in the wet (October) and dry (January) seasons of 2022. In accordance with Ethiopian and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, 38 water samples were taken from springs, reservoirs, and faucets and examined for 20 physicochemical and 2 bacteriological characteristics. The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment technique was used to construct the water quality index (WQI). Key findings showed that turbidity often exceeded WHO recommendations, and phosphate levels were excessive, even though the majority of physicochemical parameters were within allowable ranges. According to the findings of bacteriological studies, 18.42% of the samples in the distribution system were at low risk, and 81.58% of the samples were at medium risk. The levels of total and fecal coliform range from 5 to 24 TCU/100 mL and 1–6 FCU/100 mL, respectively, and the drinking water has high phosphate levels. With an overall WQI of 58.48 to 73.53, the water quality was categorized as "fair" to "marginal.” The study comes to the conclusion that although the water is typically safe chemically, there is a considerable bacteriological risk, which is mostly caused by pollution in the distribution system. This emphasizes how urgently infrastructure repairs, better chlorination techniques, and strict routine monitoring are needed to protect public health and guarantee the availability of clean water.