An assessment of the quality of domestic drinking water in Kumul, Xinjiang Province, China

The purpose of this research was to improve understanding of the quality of drinking water for domestic consumption in the City of Kumul, China. The guidelines for drinking water testing in the City of Kumul were assessed and compared with actual practices. Local households in the urban center were interviewed in order to assess public attitudes towards drinking water. The results showed that the quality of treated water did not pose a direct threat to human consumers, but there were opportunities for improvements in the areas of source water protection, water treatment processes, and communication between authorities and the public. 74% of urban households personally treated their tap water prior to consumption, most commonly by boiling, to improve drinking water quality. It is recommended that the local government should seek to improve communication between the water treatment authority and the public to ensure water quality in the City of Kumul.