Identification and assessment of Critical parameters affecting drinking water quality: A case study of water treatment plants of India

Abstract

Water-borne diseases are common in India and are mostly brought on by shortages and poor quality of potable water. Watercourses receive many effluents, generally residential sewage, due to inadequate sanitation and wastewater treatment. Hence, drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) face difficulties in meeting the drinking water standards. The current study evaluated the water quality before and after the conventional drinking water treatment process. The water quality was analyzed every month from three major DWTPs in Guwahati, Assam, India for one year. The study showed significant variation in river water turbidity and pathogen levels. During monsoon, river water turbidity reached up to 470 ± 20 NTU, and an increase in pathogen concentration was observed during the dry seasons at low flow conditions. Many times, drinking water turbidity and MPN values exceeded the BIS guideline value in drinking water. The total organic carbon (TOC), one major precursor of disinfection by-products observed in treated drinking water, was found to be in a higher range in water before and after treatment. After treatment, the TOC of (3.25 ± 0.5 mg/L) was found. For better understanding, the water quality was evaluated using the Modified Entropy-weight Water Quality Index (MEWQI) which showed very poor status in the raw water collected from the river Brahmaputra. While the plant's water quality after treatment varied in the category of fair to very good in certain months of the year, but never excellent quality was achieved in any of the selected plants. The results of the sensitivity analysis suggest that turbidity and MPN exhibit the greatest contribution to the WQI of raw water followed by TOC in drinking water. By providing accurate water quality data, this study benefits researchers, policymakers, and water scientists. It also facilitates the adoption of clean production methods to mitigate pollution and enhance water quality.