Rashid Rida, Shah Farhad Ali, Munir Rimsha, Iqbal Asim, Javed Wajiha, Batool Rida, Lutfi Ameem, Zaidi Nousheen
Action Research Collective, Lahore, Pakistan.
Cancer Research Center, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 2;15(1):23079. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-98687-5.
Ensuring access to safe drinking water remains a significant public health challenge in developing countries. This study systematically investigates coliform contamination in Lahore's municipal water supply, examining its public health implications, correlation with waterborne disease symptoms, and public perception of water quality. A systematic sampling approach was employed across 381 locations to assess water quality, with water samples analyzed for coliforms and Escherichia coli contamination. Coliform contamination was detected in several areas, including Chungi Amar Sidhu, Charar, Kirianwala, Kharas Mohalla, Shareefpura, Mustafaabad, and Kot Khawaja Saeed. To enhance data robustness, focused case studies with larger sample sizes were conducted in identified hotspots. The average coliform concentration and the percentage of affected households varied significantly across locations, with Shareefpura (3941.4 CFU/ml) and Mustafaabad (1668.2 CFU/ml) exhibiting the highest contamination levels. Mustafaabad also had the highest percentage of affected households (60.3%). Public perception of water quality varied significantly across areas, generally aligning with contamination levels. A Chi-Square Test for Independence showed a significant association between location and public perception (χ = 180.7, df = 20, P < 0.0001). Spearman's Rank Correlation revealed a moderate negative correlation between contamination and perception scores, suggesting that sensory cues and historical knowledge influence perception. This study provides critical insights for public health interventions and urban water management policies, highlighting the need for systematic water quality monitoring, infrastructure upgrades, and community awareness programs to mitigate public health risks associated with microbial contamination in urbanizing regions.
在发展中国家，确保获得安全饮用水仍然是一项重大的公共卫生挑战。本研究系统调查了拉合尔市供水系统中的大肠菌群污染情况，考察了其对公众健康的影响、与水源性疾病症状的相关性以及公众对水质的认知。采用系统抽样方法，在381个地点评估水质，对水样进行大肠菌群和大肠杆菌污染分析。在包括琼吉·阿马尔·西杜、查拉尔、基里安瓦拉、哈拉斯·莫哈拉、谢里夫普拉、穆斯塔法阿巴德和科特·哈瓦贾·赛义德在内的多个地区检测到了大肠菌群污染。为了提高数据的稳健性，在确定的热点地区开展了样本量更大的重点案例研究。不同地点的大肠菌群平均浓度和受影响家庭的比例差异显著，谢里夫普拉（3941.4 CFU/ml）和穆斯塔法阿巴德（1668.2 CFU/ml）的污染水平最高。穆斯塔法阿巴德受影响家庭的比例也最高（60.3%）。不同地区公众对水质的认知差异显著，总体上与污染水平相符。独立性卡方检验表明地点与公众认知之间存在显著关联（χ = 180.7，df = 20，P < 0.0001）。斯皮尔曼等级相关性显示污染与认知得分之间存在中度负相关，表明感官线索和历史知识会影响认知。本研究为公共卫生干预措施和城市水管理政策提供了关键见解，强调了系统水质监测、基础设施升级以及社区意识项目的必要性，以降低城市化地区与微生物污染相关的公共卫生风险。
