Evaluation of the Quality of Bottled Water Available in Benghazi, Libya

Abstract

Water quality indices serve as effective tool for evaluating overall water quality. They are beneficial for decision- makers, stakeholders, and individuals lacking extensive expertise in the numerous parameters that define water quality. This study evaluates the quality of drinking water by employing the weighted arithmetic Water Quality Index (WQI) method, utilizing various physicochemical parameters from five different brands of bottled water available in Benghazi City, Libya. The WQI was calculated for the 14 physicochemical parameters (EC, TDS, pH, total hardness, fluoride, chloride, nitrate, Bicarbonate HCO3-, sulphate, NTU, Ca+2, Mg+2, K+, and Na+). All brands demonstrated excellent quality of drinking water as indicated by their Water Quality Index (WQI) values.