60. Smith, C. Fecal Coliform Concentrations of Cistern and Stored Household Water in the Palestinian Village of Abu Shkhaydim, 1985.

The fecal pollution of drinking-water in the Palestinian village of Abu Shkhaydim was studied by measuring fecal coliform concentrations in the cisterns and in stored household water. The average quality of 75 cisterns was 5.01 fecal coliforms/100 ml.

The average fecal coliform concentration in cisterns with electric pumps was lower than in cisterns where buckets were used for removal of water (7.61 and 2.61 fecal coliforms/100 ml respectively). The difference in fecal coliform concentrations between stored household water and cistern water was greater in households using bucket removal (28.25 fecal coliforms/100 ml) compared to pump removal. Differences were significant at the 90% confidence limit, but not the 95% level.

Washing of the cistern the previous summer and the distance between latrines and cisterns had no measured influence on fecal coliform concentrations.