title: What are we drinking? Assessment of water quality in an urban city of Punjab, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ground water is the ultimate and most suitable fresh water resource for human consumption in the urban areas of India. Studies regarding ground water quality have shown that the higher rate of exploration as compared to the rate of recharging, inappropriate dumping of solid, as well as liquid waste, lack of strict enforcement of law has led to the deterioration of ground water quality. The present study was thus, carried out to evaluate physicochemical, as well as a microbiological profile of tap water, and filtered water in urban areas of Patiala, Punjab.
  
  
  METHODS
  The three zones under Municipal Corporation and two areas under Public Health Department were chosen according to the simple random sampling from Patiala city. From each area, 10 houses were chosen according to the systematic random sampling technique (n = 50). Water was taken from two sources, tap water, and from the water filter. Two samples were taken from each source one for the physicochemical analysis and another for bacteriological analysis. The samples which were sent for bacteriological assessment were collected in a sterile container.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of water samples found to be within desirable limits with respect to physicochemical parameters were significantly more with the filter water sample than the tap water samples. Suspicious/unsatisfactory microbiological quality of water was observed in 28% and 4% of tap and filter water samples, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that certain chemical parameters such as hardness, chloride, and fluoride levels were beyond the permissible limits. Therefore, we recommend that home filters should be installed, serviced appropriately, and their water quality should be checked routinely. Also, any leak from sewage pipes should be promptly repaired to prevent contamination of drinking water.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, MMIMSR, Mullana, Ambala, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Amanjot K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, India.
authors.forename: Vikram Kumar
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, PIMS, Jalandhar, India.
authors.forename: Bhuvan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, GMC, Patiala, India.
authors.forename: Bhavna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Singla
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, GMC, Patiala, India.
authors.forename: Paramjeet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, GMC, Patiala, India.
authors.forename: Geeta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Walia
keywords: Coliform count; filter water; tap water; water quality