Assessment of Drinking Water Quality in School Tanks in the Holy Governorate of Karbala, Iraq

This research was conducted to assess the water quality of school tanks. A total of 240 water samples were collected, distributed in 16 sites divided into four districts of the Holy Karbala Governorate, for a period of five months from October 2025 to February 2026. Physical and chemical tests of water samples were conducted according to standard methods approved for water testing. The results showed that the temperatures were within the permissible levels for drinking water. While turbidity recorded relatively low values, this indicates a low content of suspended materials and pollution-causing organisms. The electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids also showed a relative increase in some locations and months, especially during the rainy season. As for the suspended solids, they remained within the permissible limits. The pH values showed relatively stability within the acceptable range. The total hardness recorded an increase that exceeded the standard limits in some locations, while chloride concentrations remained within permissible limits. The results of dissolved oxygen also showed a slight increase during the winter as a result of lower temperatures and increased oxygen solubility, while Biological Oxygen Demand recorded relatively low values. The study found that the water quality at the study sites was relatively acceptable, except for some parameters that exceeded the permissible limits. Therefore, periodic treatment procedures should be applied to maintain the level of physical and chemical properties within the safe limits for drinking water in schools.