Abstract

Background: Waterborne diseases are some of the most common transmission methods of pathogenic bacteria to humans. This study aimed to assess the biological qualities of drinking water in Greater Amman Municipality’s (GAM) 22 areas and investigates any significant differences in the microbiological content of tank and treated water through measuring risk indicator parameters in the period from 2015 to 2019. Treated water at private plants and tap water collected from tanks available at Food providing establishments (restaurants, café, and so forth) are included in this study. Methods: Both tank water and treated water samples were collected from GAM’s 22 areas, then analyzed for various microbiological parameters like; Total Coliform, Fecal coliform, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Fungi, and Physical impurities. Results: The findings obtained were matched with the Jordanian and U.S EPA standards for drinking water quality. The results of the microbiological analysis revealed that tank water samples were highly contaminated with Coliform and F. coliform. Furthermore, treated water samples showed very low contamination levels with Coliform, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Fungi and physical impurities. Conclusions: The results showed that the quality of potable water varied in microbial aspects, depending on many factors, for example, the water quality at the source and the type of purification system used. Findings recommend that the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ), should increase water pumping frequency through the municipal pipes, GAM should increase awareness among owners of food-providing establishments with periodic cleaning of their tanks and encouraging them to provide their samples for testing to prevent potential water pollution.