RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Humanity highly depends on water and its proper utilization and management. Water has various uses and its use as thirst quenching fluid is the most significant one. AIM: To assess physical, chemical, trace metal and bacterial parameters of various public and packaged drinking water samples collected from villages of Vikarabad mandal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Public and packaged drinking water samples collected were analysed for various parameters using American Public Health Association (APHA 18(th) edition 1992) guidelines and the results obtained were compared with bureau of Indian standards for drinking water. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlations were done. RESULTS: Among bottled water samples, magnesium in 1 sample was >30mg/litre, nickel in 2 samples was >0.02mg/litre. Among sachet water samples, copper in 1 sample was >0.05mg/litre, nickel in 2 samples was >0.02mg/litre. Among canned water samples, total hardness in 1 sample was >200mg/litre, magnesium in 3 samples was >30mg/litre. In tap water sample, calcium was >75mg/litre, magnesium was >30mg/litre, nickel was >0.02mg/litre. Among public bore well water samples, pH in 1 sample was >8.5, total dissolved solids in 17 samples was >500mg/litre, total alkalinity in 9 samples was >200mg/litre, total hardness in 20 samples was >200mg/litre, calcium in 14 samples was >75mg/litre, fluoride in 1 sample was >1mg/litre, magnesium in 14 samples was >30mg/litre. Total coliform was absent in bottled water, sachet water, canned water, tap water samples. Total Coliform was present but E. coli was absent in 4 public bore well water samples. The MPN per 100 ml in those 4 samples of public bore well water was 50. CONCLUSION: Physical, chemical, trace metal and bacterial parameters tested in present study showed values greater than acceptable limit for some samples, which can pose serious threat to consumers of that region.