The focus of the present study was to assess the quality of different drinking water sources, impacts of poor water quality on human health, and to apportion pollution source(s) of the district Bajaur, Pakistan. Drinking water samples (n = 331) were randomly collected from springs, hand pumps, open wells, and tube wells and analyzed for physicochemical parameters including toxic elements, and bacteriological contamination (i.e., Escherichia coli). Furthermore, a questionnaire survey was conducted to record the cases of waterborne diseases in the study area. The results showed that total suspended solids and bacteriological contamination exceeded the permissible limits of the WHO in all four of the water sources. Among the potentially toxic elements, Cd, Pb, and Mn were above the permissible limits of the WHO in some samples. The hazard index for spring water was found to exceed the toxicity level (i.e., HI > 1) set by US EPA for both adults and children, while the sources from hand pumps, open wells, and tube wells were within the safe limit. The order for the overall safety level for water quality in the study area was tube wells > open wells > hand pumps > springs. The pollution source apportionment statistics revealed that both geogenic and anthropogenic activities are the sources of drinking water contamination. The results of the questionnaire survey indicated that reports of waterborne diseases were highest in respondents who took their drinking water from springs, whereas reports of diseases were moderate in respondents taking their water from open wells and hand pumps and lowest in respondents taking their water from tube wells. Based on the findings of the study, the tube well source of water is recommended for drinking water purposes.

本研究的重点是评估不同饮用水源的质量，不良水质对人类健康的影响，以及分配巴基斯坦巴哈尔地区的污染源。 从温泉，手动泵，裸井和管井中随机抽取饮用水样本（n = 331），并分析其理化参数，包括有毒元素和细菌污染（即大肠杆菌）。此外，还进行了问卷调查，以记录研究区域内的水传播疾病病例。结果表明，所有四种水源中的总悬浮固体和细菌污染均超过了WHO的允许限值。在某些有毒元素中，Cd，Pb和Mn高于某些样品中WHO的允许限值。发现泉水的危害指数超过了美国环保署对成人和儿童的毒性水平（即HI> 1），而手动泵，裸眼井和管井的污染源均在安全范围内。研究区域水质总体安全水平的顺序为管井>裸井>手泵>弹簧。污染源分配统计数据表明，地源活动和人为活动都是饮用水污染的来源。问卷调查的结果表明，从泉水中获取饮用水的受访者中水传播疾病的报告最高，而从裸眼井和手泵中获取水的受访者中疾病的报告则中等，而从管中获取水的受访者的疾病报告则最低。井。根据研究结果，建议将管井水源用于饮用水。而从露天井和手动泵中取水的受访者对疾病的报道中等，而从管井中取水的受访者报告的疾病最低。根据研究结果，建议将管井水源用于饮用水。从开放井和手动泵取水的受访者对疾病的报道中等，从管井取水的受访者报告的疾病最低。根据研究结果，建议将管井水源用于饮用水。