Environmental Indicators of Water Quality in the Cibin River (Transylvania, Romania)

Water pollution has become a worldwide problem and its influence over the health of human populations grows every day. This study was carried out to determinate the rate level of pollution of the Cibin River (Transylvania, Romania) via physical-chemical and microbiological tests. Water samples were measured at six different locations along the Cibin River for a period of 12 months. Analysis methods used to determine physical-chemical quality indices for water were as follows: O₂ - ISO 5814/99, pH - SR ISO 10523-97, PO^4- KIT Merck, SO^4- - PS/LE 17, conductivity - Sonda, NH₄₊ - SR ISO 7150-1/2001, NO_3- - SR ISO 7890/2000, NO_2- - SR EN 26777 - ISO 6777/2002, chlorides - SR ISO 9297/2001, CCOCr - SR ISO 6060/96, CBO₅ - SR ISO 5815/95, suspended solids - STAS 6953/81, residues - STAS 9187/95. The water samples were analyzed also from a sanitary and public health point of view, for example: total number of mesophilic bacteria, total number of yeasts and moulds, total coliforms, total fecal coliforms, Enterococcus and Escherichia coli, according to current Romanian legislation and normatives (Order 1146/2002). The significant results place the river in the first (sampling stations 1, 2 and 3) and second (sampling stations 4, 5 and 6) water Quality Class. Due to the fact that the upper dam reservoir at Gura Râului is the main source of drinking water for Sibiu, it is certain that this water presents optimal characteristics for human consumption and is thus declared to be one of the healthiest water sources in Romania.