Assessment of Environmental Risks to Public Health Associated with the Quality of Drinking Water from Fecentralised Water Sources in the Voronezh Region

Abstract

The aim of the study is to assess environmental health risks for the population of Voronezh region associated with the quality of drinking water in sources of decentralized water use. Methods and materials. In the period from 2021 to 2022, 302 water samples were collected from decentralized water sources (including 113 wells, 53 wells, 31 columns and 105 springs) during field expeditions in 34 administrative territories of the region. Drinking water quality was judged based on the results of chemical analysis of selected samples in the studied sources on the basis of calculation of public health risks associated with the water factor. Results and discussion. The analysis of average concentrations of pollutants in drinking water has shown that 32.7% of the region's territory is "at risk" for exceeding the standards of total hardness and 47% for nitrate content. As a result of drinking water of poor quality, about 2.5% of the adult and 4.1% of the child population of the region are exposed to risks of various diseases. Conclusion. For the purpose of zoning the territories, a map was created to illustrate a comprehensive assessment of water quality in sources of decentralized water use and the associated risks of water use for the inhabitants of the region.