Contamination of local water supply systems in suburban Belgrade

Abstract

In suburban Belgrade, there are some 200 local water supply systems which are not connected to either the Belgrade Water Supply System or to supply systems operated by municipal utilities. The small systems in Belgrade suburbs are either operated by local municipality (local government) or even by the group of local citizens who have neither technical capability nor financial resources to do it properly. Roughly 200,000 of Belgrade's inhabitants obtain their drinking water from these water supply systems. The water quality delivered by these local water supply systems is often compromised in terms of microbiological, physical and/or chemical compliance with drinking water standards in addition to the general lack of strategy on water safety plans and risk assessment. WHO Guidelines on water quality standards as well as the recommendations on safety plans and whole risk assessment are strictly respected in the main (central) Water Supply System in Belgrade. Most frequently, elevated concentrations of ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and iron lead to lack of chemical compliance, while elevated counts of aerobic mesophilic bacteria and the presence of bacteria indicative of faecal pollution tend to be behind microbiological lack of compliance with drinking water standards. In most cases, failure to meet drinking water standards can be attributed to groundwater pollution. No sewer system exists in these areas, and wastewater from septic tanks, in practice infiltration wells, is in direct contact with groundwater. Of a total of 72 laboratory-tested drinking water samples, 51.3% failed to meet physical and/or chemical standards, and 73.6% failed to meet microbiological standards. Groundwater pollution can only be prevented if wastewater disposal system is provided for all households and all suburban residential areas which obtain their water supply from local water supply systems. Some possible mitigation measures have been indicated. In the interim period, water must be disinfected continually, and the feasibility of ozonation or UV irradiation, in addition to chlorination, should be assessed.

Ammonium, Nitrate and Nitrite Concentrations in Drinking Water of the South Bačka District of Vojvodina

“…The results of a study conducted in suburban Belgrade, which included 200 local water supply systems, showed that 7% of the samples exhibited elevated nitrite levels. Additionally, out of the 38 water samples collected at 25 sites, 39.5% did not comply with the limit values for one or more of the tested elements (ammonium, nitrites, nitrates, and iron) [22], as the limited values were exceeded.…”

Groundwater arsenic in Bangladesh: what's new for policy research?

“…The risks to human health from chronic arsenic exposure are not all reversible once exposure has ended (note that there are many ways to define and analyze risks in water supply; see Sadiq et al (2007), Lindhe et al (2011) and Petkovic et al (2011) for some examples). Latent health effects, many fatal, may take decades to appear.…”

Virtual water embodied in the export from various provinces of China using multi-regional input–output analysis

“…China is one of the thirteen countries that lack per capita water resources. Regional water shortages will not only lead to pressure for water use, but will also negatively affect the water supply sector, resulting in a deterioration of the quality of the water supplied to the residents (Sadiq et al, 2007;Petkovic et al, 2011;Lindhe et al, 2012;Boryczko & Tchórzewska-Cieślak, 2014). In addition, China is a major exporter according to figures released by the General Administration of Customs.…”