Spatial Analysis of Metal Content in Community
Drinking Water Sources in Post Eruption of Sinabung
Mountain in Karo District
Sri Malem Indirawati
1
, Umi Salmah
2
, Lanova Dwi Arde
3
{srimalem@usu.ac.id
1
, umisalmah@usu.ac.id
2
, lanovadwi@usu.ac.id
3
}
Public Health Faculty Universitas Sumatera Utara
123
Abstract. Sinabung mountain in North Sumatra Province has been erupted since August
2010. The post-eruption conditions caused changes in land cover and had direct impact on
the surrounding area. The community used drinking water sources from springs and wells
which have been exposed to metals contained in volcanic ash eruptions. This study aims
to analyze the chemical quality of community drinking water sources. Amount 21 samples
of drinking water sources representing the direction of volcanic eruption were analyzed in
the laboratory using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry method. Each sample point was
analyzed by using the Inversed distance weighted (IDW) method. The results of the
laboratory showed that Fe concentrations exceeded the environmental quality standard,
while other metals still met the requirements for drinking water quality. The order of metal
concentration in drinking water Fe> Mn> Cd> Pb. The results of correlation between
distance and Fe concentration obtained value r = 0.083.
Keywords: Drinking water; metal; post-eruption
1 Introduction
Sinabung mountain in North Sumatra Province has been erupted since August 2010. The
post-eruption conditions caused changes in land cover and had direct impact on the surrounding
area. The community used drinking water sources from springs and wells which have been
exposed to metals contained in volcanic ash eruptions. This can have an impact on public health.
The eruption caused changes in environmental quality, especially affecting the quality of
community drinking water sources which contain potentially toxic ions and metals [1]. The
sources of water used by community in post-eruption residential area is obtained directly from
springs and bore well. Minister of health Regulation No.32,2017 concerning clean water and
water safety plan [2] Drinking water used must meet physical, chemical, microbiological and
radioactive quality requirements.
The results of previous studies found Pb in the mount Sinabung’s soil in at depth of 0-5 cm
and 0-15 cm was 61.01 ppm and 70.67 ppm, respectively [3]. Another research found that
Sinabung volcanic ash contains element of iron was 0.58 -3.1%, sulfur 0.05-0.32%, Pb 1.5-5.3%
[4]. The survey results in post-eruption settlement areas people complained about water quality.
The purpose of this research is analyzing the chemical quality of community drinking water
sources in Post eruption area and analyzing distance from center of eruption and concentration
of metal in sources of drinking water.
ICEHHA 2021, June 03-05, Flores, Indonesia
Copyright © 2021 EAI
DOI 10.4108/eai.3-6-2021.2310649