The microbiological and physico-chemical quality of groundwater in West Thrace, Turkey

The aim of this study was to undertake a preliminary assessment of the groundwater quality of the West Thrace region. Forty groundwater samples collected from Edirne (Site 1) and Canakkale (Site 2) were assessed for their suitability for human consumption. Eight water samples (20%) had heterotropic plate counts exceeding the EU and Turkish Water Directive limit of 20 cfu/ml in drinking water and the maximum number of bacteria recorded as 44 cfu/ml. Total coliforms, thermotolerant coliforms, E. coli, Enterococcus spp., Salmonella sp., Staphylococcus spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were detected in 25%, 17.5%, 15%, 47.5%, 15%, 27.5% and 15% of the groundwater samples, respectively. Eleven (27.5%) samples exceeded the EU Water Directive value of 50 mg/l for nitrate, but 13 (32.5%) samples violated the Turkish standard of 45 mg/l nitrate in drinking water. pH values of all samples were between 5.5-8.5 limits. Conductivity of all samples were below Turkish and EU Water Directive levels. Five samples (12.5%) exceeded the Turkish Water Directive for total dissolved solids (TDS) in water.