Assessment of Water Quality to Economic Development: A Quantifying Environmental Kuznets Curve

Abstract

The study intends to investigate the relationship between the growth of the economy and surface water pollutants in Tamil Nadu using the concept of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). The study used cross-sectional time series (panel data) data for water pollutants such as Dissolved oxygen and conductivity, BOD, Total Coliforms and Fecal Coliforms across 16 districts in Tamil Nadu for the period 2003–2019. The findings of the study revealed that there was no indication of an EKC for Dissolved Oxygen and BOD; instead, Dissolved oxygen has a monotonically declining relationship while BOD has a monotonically increasing relationship, and the first turning point is yet to be achieved for both the water quality indices. The relationship between income and conductivity found a U-shaped relationship with the turning point on Rs.131.98 billion. The existence of an Inverted U-shaped EKC relationship for Fecal coliforms and Total Coliforms with the turning point on Rs. 482.22 and Rs. 477.65 billion, respectively.