Bottled rainwater: Evaluation of its useful life in NIMBU I system

Abstract

Water scarcity in the dry tropics has made it necessary to seek alternative water sources for human consumption. One of these alternatives is the NIMBU I rainwater harvesting system, located at the Sede Regional Chorotega, Campus Nicoya, Costa Rica, where water is collected, purified, and bottled. During the experimental processes to improve the system, the idea of ​​analyzing the water in the bottles stored for a given period (immediately after bottling, one month and two months later) and under different temperature conditions (F: 2 °C and A: 31°C) and luminosity (L: presence and O: absence), and thus determine how its useful life evolves. Physicochemical and  microbiological tests were carried out in each study period, where it was determined that the analyzes of the water taken immediately after its treatment were considered to be of potable quality for human consumption, while the analyzes after a month of storage were positive for the presence of aerobic mesophilic bacteria identified as Gram negative in the LA conditions and the presence of microalgae in all conditions, with this growth of microalgae being more evident after two months in 32% of the total number of bottles under study under the four storage conditions . This shows that despite having a high purification system, they must have continuous monitoring to ensure quality and improve the process.