PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY' WATER BOTTLED IN MONTERIA TOWN

Water is a vector of physical, chemical and biological importance to the man, so is necessary to verify the sanitary conditions thereof, to determine their fitness for human consumption. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physical parameters: pH, color, odor, turbidity, total solids and conductivity; the chemical characteristics: alkalinity, sulfate, total hardness, total iron, aluminum, chlorine and residual chlorine, and bacteriological characteristics: total coliforms, fecal coliforms and Pseudomonas spp. Sixteen bottling drinking water in the city of Monteria, department of Cordoba, during five months were evaluated. Total solids, pH, alkalinity, total hardness, conductivity, chlorine and residual chlorine showed highly significant differences (p <= 0.01) and sulfate significant differences (p <= 0.05) between the months of study, indicating that variations in the quality of raw water in the course of the study influenced the water final quality. The hardness, total solids and conductivity parameters differ significantly (p <= 0.05) between the packers, as a result of the flocculation stage to minimize solids and turbidity in some packing. The variables color, odor, turbidity, iron and aluminum content showed no significant differences (p >= 0.05) for both the evaluated companies and during the months of study. Bacteriological parameters remained constant during the research. This study showed the compliance of Decree 1575 of 2007 and Resolutions 2125 of 2007 and 12186 of 1991 of the Ministry of Social protection of Colombia.