Abstract

In Chile rural regions, access to drinking water is impeded by drought, climate change, and the remoteness of localities. Some sectors continue to rely on the extraction of water through wells, waterwheels, and untreated springs. Colliguay Valley in the commune of Quilpué faces Water scarcity for over a decade and has been exacerbated by political water management and overuse for profit, as well as in the domains of livestock and agriculture. This study aims to evaluate the quality of the water available to users of the PRODESAL program in Quilpué, determining its safety for human consumption. In the autumn of 2018, 13 stations in the Marga Valley and Colliguay Valley, Quilpué, Valparaíso Region were subjected to comprehensive analysis including 20 physicochemical and microbiological parameters, in accordance with the regulations stipulated by NCh 409/Of.84 mod 2005, NCh1333/Of.78, and the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. As results, groundwater wells are predominantly freshwater and exhibit a high concentration of calcium carbonates. Most wells comply with the established Chilean regulations; however, it was observed that a number of these wells have exceeded the permitted limits for faecal and total coliforms, turbidity, and phosphates.