Spatial distribution of water quality in Belawan River, North Sumatra

Abstract

Belawan river is one of the rivers in North Sumatera Province. Belawan river which crosses Deli Serdang District and Medan City is used for the activities of plantation, agriculture, livestock, sand mining, a place for bathing and washing as well as serving as a lavatory, hospital, hotel, settlements, and industry. Utilization of the river as a wastewater disposal site can cause a decrease in the quality of river water. The purpose of this research was to analyze the Belawan river water quality spatially. Water sampling was taken at nine points which included three upstream segment points in Deli Serdang District, three middle segment points in Deli Serdang District and Medan City, and three downstream segment points in Deli Serdang District. Based on the results of the research it can be concluded that the value of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) at several monitoring points in Belawan river has exceeded the water quality standard limits of class I Government Regulation of Republic of Indonesia Number 82 the year 2001 and North Sumatera Governor Regulation Number 21 the year 2006.