Research of the Drinking Water Quality in Wells and Fountains of Villages in Gjakova Municipality in Kosovo

Journal of Environmental Treatment Techniques

2020, Volume 8, Issue 3, Pages: 1151-1156

J. Environ. Treat. Tech.

ISSN: 2309-1185

Journal web link: http://www.jett.dormaj.com

Research of the Drinking Water Quality in Wells and

Fountains of Villages in Gjakova Municipality in

Kosovo

Sadija Kadriu , Milaim Sadiku , Mensur Kelmendi , Bleona Tahiraj , Mehush Aliu , Arbër

Hyseni , Agron Shala

Department of Technology, University of Mitrovica, “Isa Boletini”, Mitrovicë, Kosova

Hydro-meteorological Institute of Kosova, Rruga Lidhja e Pejës 47, 10000, Prishtinë, Kosova

Received: 03/07/2020

Accepted: 13/07/2020

Published: 20/09/2020

Abstract

It is known that the issue of obtaining sufficient drinking water, this vital element without which there can be no life on earth, as in the

past also today is and remains a serious concern for humanity in general. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to study the drinking water

quality in villages Hereç, Gërçinë and Damjan in Gjakova Municipality. Water was tested for organoleptic, physico-chemical, and

microbiological parameters, and sensory methods and analytical techniques, classical and instrumental ones were aplied. The results of the

analysis are compared with the standard values of the EU Directive 98/83 on the quality of water for human consumption. The obtained

results prove that the drinking water is contaminated with Mn, with 0.059mg / l in the villages Herec, in Gercine 0.052mg / l and in Damjan

with a concentration of 0.07mg / l. Meanwhile, we have encountered microbial contamination in two sampling sites in Gercine and in one

sampling site in Damjan. Therefore, the evidence for the presence of Mn and microbial contamination, justify the aim of this work.

Keywords: Drinking waters, Gjakova villages, Analysis, Contamination, Manganese, Microbial contamination

Introduction¹

groundwater source since they are easily accessible and usually

provide clean drinking water (3). Dug wells are distributed all

over the rural and semi urban areas, mostly as private wells

associated with single family homesteads (4). Gjakova with its

surrounding, our object of study, is located between geographic

latitude 42022’ and geographic longitude 20026’, on the left shore

of Erenik River, east of Çabrat Plateau, on both sides of Krena

River, at an average altitude of 365 m. The average temperature

in July is 21.50C, and in January -90C. Summer months are dry,

and winters are wet. The average precipitation is 959.3 mm (5).

The physico-chemical quality of drinking water is also based on

hydrogeological criteria. These criteria relate to the type of water

layer feeding, the composition and structure of the terrain, the

level of protection of the water layer etc (6).

The issue of acquiring sufficient drinking water in many

settlements in Kosovo, as in many other countries in the world,

has been and remains the basic problem for organizing the life

quality in the geographical space where humans wish to construct

and organize their settlements. In this context, springs were

largely responsible for determining the sites of ancient

settlements (1). Water is the main natural resource and essential

human need without which life on earth is unthinkable. Water is

a major natural source and basic human need for life. In recent

decades, groundwater has become an essential resource due to its

purity and availability (2).

Lack of sufficient drinking water, both in the past and now,

often, not only it has caused major demographic movements

around the world, but there have also been cases of sporadic

conflicts and major wars for controlling and owning sufficient

water resources. Even today, in many Kosovo settlements, lack of

water has created new demographic realities, as with the increase

of population, insufficient water reservoirs have affected the

population movement from one settlement to another, i.e. from

Hasi region to Gjilan area, as well as in many other areas in

Kosovo lacking water. Yet, springs are still an important

World Health Organization (WHO) 1993 documented that

0% of pathogenic diseases in human beings are caused by

contaminated water and the valuation of water quality in

developing countries has become a critical problem in last few

years (7). The purpose of this study is to assess the water quality

in villages Hereç, Gërçinë and Damjan of Gjakova Municipality,

based on the physico-chemical and microbiological parameters,

which justifies the drinking water quality.

Corresponding author: Sadija Kadriu, University of

Mitrovica,“Isa Boletini”; Email: sadija.kadriu@umib.net.

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