Water Quality of Tago River

Abstract

Tago River in the municipality of San Miguel, Surigao del Sur province is the main irrigation source of rice fields. Water quality is an important factor to study a certain body of water by comparing physical, chemical and biological characteristics of a water sample with the Water Quality Guidelines and General Effluent Standard set by the DENR and APHA Standard Method for Examination of Water and Wastewater. The water quality of Tago River is determined by testing its physicochemical parameters: Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chloride, Color, Dissolved Oxygen, Fecal Coliform, Nitrate, pH, Phosphate, Temperature and Total Suspended Solids. The sampling collection was taken at 3:28 pm from the upstream part of Tago River at Sagbayan. The samples were then brought to Science Resource Center. The quality of the river was assessed by comparing the values obtained with the standard set by DENR. The physicochemical properties of the water in Tago River were analyzed and found to have; Biochemical Oxygen Demand (4 mg/L), Chloride (8.90 mg/L), Color (5 TCU), Dissolved Oxygen (9.6 mg/L), Fecal Coliform (790 MPN/100 ml), Nitrate (<0.89 mg/L), water pH (7.7), Phosphate (0.420 mg/L), water temperature (12.6°C) and Total Suspended Solids (9 mg/L). The results revealed significant differences especially the Fecal Coliform which the test result exceeds from the obtained values and the standard limits imposed by the DENR 2016 it indicates contamination and the low Temperature result suggests hindrance for population growth. The overall results of the test further implies that the quality of the water in the Tago River contains a passable quality for propagation and growth of fish, agriculture, irrigation and livestock watering. Although, the result revealed a good water quality of the river, it is still advisable that the quality of the water in Tago river should be improved, maintained and preserved.