Determination of water quality of Ganga River System in Himalayan region, referencing indexing techniques

Abstract

The Ganga River system is one of the most important water resources in North India by providing water for drinking and other purposes. This study aimed to determine the suitability of river water for drinking purposes in the Himalayan region by using a water quality index (WQI). The transformation of water quality data set into index value is understandable and usable by the public. To interpret the seasonal water quality, a total of 20 monitoring locations were selected to collect water samples from Gangotri to Roorkee, for various reasons. After applying the WQI, water quality was found in good condition in three seasons except during monsoon season. In winter, summer, and autumn seasons, the value of WQI was observed 41.69, 39.4, and 35.6, respectively, which indicates good water quality, but in monsoon season, the value of WQI was found 65.3 which showed the poor water quality. To assess the metal contamination, metal index (MI) and pollution index (PI) were applied for Fe, Pb, Zn, and Cu. The MI and PI values (MI: > 6 and PI: > 5) represent that the water quality is seriously affected condition which makes river water unfit for drinking purposes. Therefore, it is needed to evaluate the river water quality as well as the implementation and formulation of an integrated plan to control the contamination level.