Monitoring drinking water quality in the Sverdlovsk Region of Russia

Abstract

Introduction. The problem of providing the population with high-quality drinking water in conditions of strong anthropogenic pressure on the environment is quite urgent. Industrial regions, including the Sverdlovsk Region, are particularly in need of clean water. As a result of industrial enterprises' operation, reservoirs are polluted with various ecotoxicants that have a negative impact on human health. The purpose of this study is to analyze and evaluate the quality of drinking water in the Sverdlovsk Region. Methods. The paper presents the description of volumetric (titrimetric), potentiometric, and stripping voltammetry analysis methods. The titrimetric method was used to determine the hardness and oxidation, the potentiometric method was used to determine pH and the content of nitrate ions. The concentration of heavy metal ions was measured using the stripping voltammetry method. Results. The paper presents the results of studying the quality of drinking water in the Sverdlovsk Region. It was established that the permissible levels of hardness and nitrate concentration in water samples from underground sources are exceeded due to the influence of natural geochemical and anthropogenic factors. It is noted that in some samples of tap water, the value of permanganate oxidation is higher than the standard value due to the high degree of contamination with organic and mineral compounds of natural reservoirs. It was revealed that the studied water samples from different water supply systems are contaminated with heavy metals in quantities significantly exceeding their maximum permissible concentrations. The authors indicate possible reasons for the input of heavy metals into water bodies. They also perform a comparative analysis of the quality of water samples taken from different localities and water supply systems. Conclusion. It is?stablished that the results of the studies conducted indicate the poor quality of drinking water in terms of the above indicators in most areas of the Sverdlovsk Region. The authors believe that a final and more objective assessment requires further research, while increasing the number of water quality indicators and focusing on the causes of water pollution. © 2020, St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. All rights reserved.