Rain harvesting is becoming more common in the Palestinian Territories as a result of drinking waterscarcity. Although it might pose serious human health risk, this water is being consumed withouttreatment in many areas of the West Bank. The present study evaluates the physicochemical andmicrobial quality of harvested rainwater that is used as potable water in the West Bank. Samplesfrom roof-harvested rainwater storage tanks (n ¼ 42) were collected in summer (SS) 2006/winter(WS) 2007. Physicochemical parameters measured were: temperature, pH, electrical conductivity,salinity, total dissolved solids, turbidity, nitrate, copper and lead. With few exceptions, all theseparameters were within WHO guideline values. All samples (100%) were found to contain coliformsand to be heavily contaminated with heterotrophic bacteria. About 67% of all samples werecontaminated with fecal coliforms. Specific PCR technique confirmed the presence of fivepathogenic microorganisms that can be ordered according to their prevalence as: Citrobacter(83%) > Acinetobacter (78%) > Aeromonas (52%) > Pseudomonas and Campylobacter (7%).Prevalence of microorganisms in SS was higher than in WS. Although the physicochemical quality ofmost harvested rainwater samples was in accordance with WHO guidelines for drinking water,stored rainwater was significantly contaminated with bacteria resulting in significant human healthrisk from infectious diseases.
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