Statistical analysis for water quality index for Shatt-Al-Hilla river in Babel city

Abstract

AbstractThe work aims to investigate the Water Quality Index (WQI) of the Shatt-al-Hilla River, a branch of the Euphrates river in Babel city, Iraq. Twelve important and influential parameters were taken into account to evaluate the WQI, namely the temperature of water (Temp), total hardness (TH), electrical conductivity (EC), acidity (PH), total dissolved solids (TDS), sulfate (So4−2), calcium (Ca+2), magnesium (Mg+2), sodium (Na+1), biological oxygen demand (BOD), potassium (K) and turbidity. Raw and treated water quality was evaluated using two models, Weighted Calculation and Canadian Cabinet for the Environmental Water Quality Index (CCME WQI). The study area included three water treatment plants, namely New Hilla (NH), Al-Hussein (HE), and Al- Hashimyah (HA), which discharge their treated water into the Shatt-al-Hilla river. Raw and treated water samples were collected and tested regularly for nine months, from October 2020 to June 2021. The results showed all chemical and physical parameters (for both raw and treated water) met the Iraqi standards except Ca+2, turbidity and EC for raw water and temperature for treated water.