A study of drinking water quality from drinking water vending machine in Sibu, Sarawak

This study is about the quality of the drinking water from drinking water vending in Sibu, Sarawak. All 30 operated drinking water vending machine was the source of the sample with 3 sample for each machine with 7 days interval for sampling date. Parameter tested was Free chlorine, Turbidity, pH, E. coli and Total Coliform. The result of the drinking water sample is compared to the standard in Food Regulation 1985. The reading recorded for physicochemical parameter Free chlorine in range of 0 to 0.87 mg/l where 10 out of 30 DWVM meet the standard. Turbidity recorded was in range of 0.08 to 1.51 NTU where only 4 DWVM meet the standard and reading for pH was in range of 7.04 to 8.71 where 29 DWVM meet the standard in the regulation. For microbiology parameter, 4 DWVM was detected the presence of E. coli with reading recorded in range of 0 to 14 CFU while Total coliform reading recorded in range of 0 to 63 CFU where 11 DWVM meet the Food Regulation 1985. Permitted level in Food Regulation 1985 for Free chlorine was <0.04 mg/l, Turbidity was <0.1 NTU, pH in range of 6.5 to 8.5, E. coli was nil and Total coliform not more than 4 CFU. From the result obtained, this study would like to asserted that routine maintenance was important and the monitoring of this drinking water quality from drinking water vending machine need to take in to account in order to provide safe drinking water that meet the standard in order to protect the consumer.