Determinación de coliformes fecales y escherichia coli en el agua de riego en la comunidad de Santa Teresita de Chiquintad. Cuenca-Ecuador

Abstract

Introduction: Contamination in irrigation water is a problem that has been widely studied due to the prevalence of fecal contamination of crops. The Santa Teresita de Chiquintad community is located in the canton of Cuenca, characterized by its agricultural production and irrigation water system for different crops.

3. Objective: To determine the presence of fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli in the irrigation water of the Santa Teresita de Chiquintad community.

4. Materials and methods: The study was developed in a non-experimental, quantitative, descriptive, longitudinal framework that consisted in collecting 12 samples from different areas that supply the irrigation system of the community. The statistical program SPSS version 26 was used to evaluate the variables, and the information was analyzed using descriptive and interferential statistics in tables and graphs.

5. Results: The presence of fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli was analyzed in the 24 samples, averaging o21.58 NMP/100mL for fecal coliforms and 12.42 NMP/100mL for Escherichia coli.

6. Conclusion: The results studied are within the values established in the standard for environmental quality and discharge of effluents to water resources, established in Annex 1 of Book VI of the unified text of secondary legislation of the Ministry of the Environment of Ecuador and the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States (EPA).