El-Hayah : Jurnal Biologi
Vol 10, No 4 (2026): EL-HAYAH (VOL 10, NO 4 Maret 2026)

Sacred Water or Safe Water? A Scientific Assessment of Drinking Water Quality at The Sunan Ampel Mausoleum, Surabaya

Annabelle Vania Wimala Sukma (Biology Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel Surabaya)
Vita Nabiilah Faadiyah Rohmah (Biology Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel Surabaya)
Rahmadani Wardafianti (Biology Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel Surabaya)
Friska Nadia Andani (Biology Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel Surabaya)
Aisyah Hadi Ramadani (Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand)
Yuanita Rachmawati (Biology Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel Surabaya)



Article Info

Publish Date
29 Mar 2026

Abstract

Water is a fundamental human necessity that must be available in a safe and potable form. In religious heritage contexts such as the Sunan Ampel Mausoleum in Surabaya, drinking water is not only consumed but also revered as spiritually significant, often perceived as sacred. This dual perception raises the question of whether such water is both spiritually and scientifically “safe.” This study evaluated the quality of drinking water stored in traditional clay jars and stainless steel tanks, assessed against the Indonesian Ministry of Health Regulation No. 492/Menkes/Per/IV/2010. Three samples were analyzed for physical (temperature, TDS, pH), chemical (nitrite), and microbiological (Coliform and Escherichia coli, MPN method) parameters. The stateresults showed that while temperature was relatively high (≥30 °C), other physicochemical values remained within permissible limits [TDS: 135–186 mg/L; pH: 7.79–8.05; nitrite: 0.1 mg/L]. In contrast, all samples were microbiologically contaminated, exceeding the permissible limit of 0/100 mL. These findings demonstrate that, although the water meets physical and chemical standards, it poses a significant microbiological health risk. The study underscores the importance of sanitation monitoring and simple water treatment at religious sites, reinforcing the Islamic principle of halalan thayyiban (lawful and wholesome) consumption and highlighting the integration of scientific evidence with religious belief in safeguarding public health.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

bio

Publisher

Subject

Agriculture, Biological Sciences & Forestry Biochemistry, Genetics & Molecular Biology Environmental Science Immunology & microbiology Medicine & Pharmacology

Description

El-Hayah : Jurnal Biologi, publishes peer-reviewed research and review articles of special importance and broad interest in any area of biology (such as botany, zoology, ecology, microbiology, physiology, nanobiology, marine biology, hydrobiology, neurobiology, genetics, developmental biology, ...