Impact of the Condition of Drinking Water Supply Networks on the Quality of Water Intended for Consumption: The Case of the Network in the Commune of Daloa (Central West of Côte d’Ivoire)

Abstract

The potability of drinking water depends not only on the source and the treatment system, but also on the quality of the waterworks. In fact, the quality of drinking water is considerably degraded by the dilapidated state and lack of maintenance of drinking water networks. In C ô te d’Ivoire, the majority of drinking water networks in the various towns are ageing. In Daloa, despite the efforts made by the company in charge of water treatment and distribution to make the water drinkable, the water at consumers’ taps is often colored, has an unpleasant aftertaste and settles after collection. As a result, people are concerned about the potability of tap water, and some are turning to alternative sources of drinking water of unknown quality. In order to determine the factors responsible for the deterioration in water color and taste, as well as the sectors of the network most affected, a diagnosis of the network’s equipment was carried out. Water samples taken from the network were analyzed for color and turbidity. The diagnosis revealed that most of the equipment (suction pads, valves, drains and fire hydrants) is outdated and irregularly maintained. Analyses show that the water is more colored in cast-iron and PVC pipes than in asbestos cement pipes. Coloration values in the network range from 0 to 27 UVC for asbestos cement pipes, from 15 to 56 UCV for ductile iron pipes, and from 11 to 102 UCV for PVC pipes. On the over hand, turbidity values vary from 8.02 to 3.32 NTU for ductile cast iron pipes, 8.51 to 16.98 NTU for asbestos cement pipes and 0.9 to 6.98 NTU for PVC pipes. Old cast-iron pipes release ferric ions on contact with water, degrading their color. Old cast-iron pipes release ferric ions into the water, degrading its color. The high color values observed in the vicinity of drains are thought to be due to irregular maintenance of the network. In fact, after network maintenance, a reduction rate ranging from 2% to 73% is observed for turbidity, while for color, the rate varies from 5% to 72%. In short, the network’s obsolescence and irregular maintenance contribute significantly to the deterioration of water quality.