Abstract

The use of point-of-use household drinking water purification systems has gained popularity as a means to empower communities and individuals without access to clean water to treat their own water at home. This study evaluated the effectiveness of point-of-use systems in improving Saudi Arabia's water quality by assessing parameters such as treated water color, odor, pH, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, total hardness, free chlorine, anions (chloride and sulphate), and cations (sodium). The physiochemical properties of six widely used point-of-use systems were examined, including polypropylene cotton filters, activated carbon filters (granular activated carbon and carbon block), and reverse osmosis membranes. The results for purified drinking water showed the following characteristics: The pH of the purified water ranged from 7.24 to 7.84, with electrical conductivity between 34.63 and 49.30 µS cm^-1, total dissolved solids from 16.33 to 24.33 mg L^-1, and total hardness from 0.45 to 2.84 mg L^-1. Sodium levels ranged from 6.50 to 11.07 mg L^-1, sulphate from 0.03 to 0.55 mg L^-1, free chlorine from 0 to 0.03 mg L^-1 Cl₂, and chloride from 7.65 to 17.27 mg L^-1. The removal efficiencies for specific contaminants were as follows: sodium, sulphate, chloride, conductivity, and total hardness removal ranged from 92% to 99%. Activated carbon filters demonstrated a high efficiency in removing free chlorine, with a removal rate of 94% to 100%. This study concludes that point-of-use systems can effectively enhance water quality in Saudi Arabia. The choice of purification system should depend on the specific water quality concerns and the user's individual needs, as each system offers distinct advantages and limitations. Polypropylene cotton, activated carbon, and reverse osmosis membranes serve different roles in addressing water purification challenges.