Bacteriological quality of water for human consumption and community perception in Lajas, Peru

Abstract

The discrepancy between the bacteriological quality of water and community perception generates critical public health risks, given that mistrust or false public confidence conditions consumption. The objective was to determine the relationship between physicochemical parameters and the bacteriological load of water in Olmos-Lajas, Peru, using a quantitative, non-experimental approach; Samples were taken at four points on a monthly basis (January to June 2023), with 24 samples collected. Monitoring was carried out in accordance with the protocols of R.D. No. 160-2015/DIGESA/SA, and the samples were then sent to the Cajamarca Regional Water Laboratory. To assess perceptions of aesthetic parameters, a survey was conducted among 45 users of the system. The results were compared with D.S. No. 031-2010-SA-DIGESA, indicating that the water is systematically unfit for consumption, with thermotolerant coliforms exceeding the Maximum Permissible Limit (MPL), revealing a very strong positive correlation between bacterial load, pH and temperature. However, 93.3% of users perceive the water as crystal clear and acceptable, establishing a critical dissociation between the sanitary reality and perception. This gap is perpetuated by the total absence of monitoring (100% ignorance), which suppresses the informed oversight capacity of the Sanitation Services Administrative Board (JASS). It is concluded that there is an imminent health risk mediated by misinformation and technical vulnerability; therefore, urgent intervention is recommended to optimise treatment and establish a transparent bacteriological monitoring programme to raise risk awareness in the community.