Study on water safety in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Surveys on drinking and daily life water quality at schools and their surrounding houses

Abstract

We conducted a simplified water quality survey on contamination with general bacteria,Escherichia coli and arsenic contained in drinking and daily life water at schools and theirsurrounding houses in five districts in Siem Reap, Cambodia.As a result, it was found that 23 out of 31 samples (74.2%) contained general bacteriaexceeding the water quality standard. E. coli was also found in 16 samples (51.6%).Moreover, 9 out of 40 samples (22.5%) contained arsenic exceeding 5 μg/ℓ, and samples atsome sites contained 50 μg/ℓ or more up to 100 μg/ℓ. Arsenic was also found in 2 out of29 samples (6.9%) of well water; 7 out of 11 samples (63.6%) of filtered water by CeramicWater Purifiers (CWPs). The highest level of arsenic was found in filtered water.Though these CWPs are used to eliminate microorganisms, the survey indicated thenecessity for their strict and appropriate controls and handling because E. coli was found infiltered water, too. In addition, since more arsenic was found in filtered water than in wellwater in Siem Reap, which is said to be less contaminated with arsenic, we assumed thatarsenic contamination of the tested water in this survey may be associated with the CWPs.