National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index Research Articles

Suitability of treated wastewater for irrigation and its impact on groundwater resources in arid coastal regions: Insights for water resources sustainability

Water scarcity threatens agriculture and food security in arid regions like Saudi Arabia. The nation produces significant quantities of municipal wastewater, which, with adequate treatment, could serve as an alternative water source for irrigation, thereby reducing reliance on fossil and non-renewable groundwater. This study assessed the appropriateness of using treated wastewater (TWW) for irrigation in a dry coastal agricultural region in Eastern Saudi Arabia and its impact on groundwater resources. Field investigations were conducted in Qatif to collect water samples and field measurements. A multi-criteria approach was applied to evaluate the TWW's suitability for irrigation, including complying with Saudi Standards, the Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI), the National Sanitation Foundation water quality index (NSFWQI), and the individual irrigation indices. In addition, the impact of TWW on groundwater was assessed through hydrogeological and isotope approaches. The results indicate that the use of TWW in the study area complied with the Saudi reuse guidelines except for nitrate, aluminum, and molybdenum. However, irrigation water quality indices classify TWW as having limitations that necessitate the use for salt-tolerant crops on permeable and well-drained soils. Stable isotopic analysis (δ2H, δ18O) revealed that long-term irrigation with TWW affected the shallow aquifer, while deep aquifers were minimally impacted due to the presence of aquitard layer. The application of TWW irrigation has successfully maintained groundwater sustainability in the study area, as evidenced by increased groundwater levels up to 2.3 m. Although TWW contributes to crop productivity, long term agricultural sustainability could be enhanced by improving effluent quality, regulating irrigation practices, implementing buffer zones, and monitoring shallow groundwater. An integrated approach that combines advanced wastewater treatment methods, community involvement, regulatory oversight, and targeted monitoring is recommended to be implemented.

Water quality assessment and evaluation of human health risks in the Pusur River, Klaten Regency, Central Java, Indonesia.

This research examines the condition of the water characteristics of the Pusur River to provide data regarding water quality status and risks to human health. In determining the water quality use the NSF-WQI, or National Sanitation Foundation-Water Quality Index based on the main water quality parameters, including temperature, fecal coliform, turbidity, pH, DO, COD, and nitrate. The WQI at the Sudimoro Village location is 37.50, Cokro is 43.54, Wangen is 39.51, Delanggu is 35.45, Juwiring is 38.05, and Taji Village is 34.92. From these six locations, the WQI values are all included in the bad criteria (scores of 26-50). The low WQI values at the six locations were influenced by the low values of the DO, nitrate, temperature, and fecal coliform sub-indices. This low value is related to anthropogenic activities in the region. Furthermore, the data were subjected to applications of the Chronic Daily Index (CDI) Hazard Quotient (HQ), and Hazard Index (HI) to reveal possible non-carcinogenic health risks from nitrate and cadmium contaminants. The hazard quotient through exposure to ingestion from each sampling point includes low risk, namely the value range of 0.1 < HI < 1 for adults and children. Water from rivers must be adequately treated before being used for domestic purposes.

Assessment of the Euphrates River’s Water Quality at a Some Sites in the Iraqi Governorates of Babylon and Karbala

The majority of third-world nations with rivers running through them struggle with the issue of contaminated water. It is believed to be a very difficult challenge to get the water quality below the typical permitted levels for drinking, as well as for industrial and agricultural reasons, is thought to be a very difficult challenge. This study aims to assess the quality of water available to the governorates of Karbala and Babylon. measuring water quality with the water quality index It expresses the water quality as a single number by comparing results from the analysis of a number of physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters with current norms. The National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI), the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCMEWQI), the Oregon Water Quality Index (OWQI), the Weight Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WAWQI), the IRCA water quality index, and The Iraqi Water Quality Index (Iraqi WQI), which was used for irrigation and drinking, will all be compared in this context. Twenty one parameters were analyzed, including pH, EC, TDS, Tem, DO, BOD, COD, NO3, Alkalinity, CL, TH, Ca, Mg, Na, K, B, SO4, Salinity, TOC, E.Coli., Total coliform. The results for five stations during three season ranged between medium and excellent for the NSF classification, while ranged between poor-marginal in CCME classification, the results were for OWQI classification between poor-fair-excellent, in WAWQI classification the results were within unsuitable to excellent, IRCA classification indicated that all stations fall within sanitary infeasible and in the last IRAQI classification the results were between very bad to bad for drinking water as for irrigation of agricultural lands, it is not acceptable for irrigation.

Evaluation of the water quality of a high Andean lake using different quantitative approaches

This study assessed a high Andean lake's trophic state and water quality using methodologies with eutrophication and water quality indexes. Water samples were collected at six points in the lake, with a monthly frequency, for three winter and three summer months. Dissolved oxygen, pH, phosphates, nitrates, transparency, chlorophyll-a, fecal coliforms, biological oxygen demand (BOD), temperature, and turbidity were determined at each point. The trophic state of the lake was categorized by applying the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) eutrophication index, Carlson's trophic state index (CTSI) and trophic index (TRIX). In addition, National Sanitation Foundation water quality index (NSF-WQI), Canadian Water Quality Index (CCME-WQI) and Oregon Water Quality Index (OWQI) were used to evaluate water quality. Results indicated that the lake had a high level of eutrophication, suggesting an excessive accumulation of nutrients in the water. CTSI and TRIX index showed that the lake was in a hyper-eutrophic state, while according to the OECD methodology, the trophic state related to phosphorus and transparency was hypereutrophic, and according to chlorophyll, it varied from mesotrophic to eutrophic. The NSF index classified the lake with average quality, the CCME index indicated fair water quality, and the OWQI classified it as very poor. Therefore, the water quality of the high andean lake assessed by eutrophication and water quality indexes presented significant differences based on physicochemical characteristics. The human influence was identified as the main cause of eutrophication, including tourism and agriculture. These results suggest that measures should be taken to reduce human activity in the area and control pollution in the lake.

Examining the Water Quality Situation in Klampok River, Semarang through the Application of the NSF-WQI (National Sanitation Foundation – Water Quality Index) Model

The Klampok River is one of the rivers that crosses the Bandungan, Bawen, Bergas and Pringapus Districts. The increase in the number of residents in the river basin which is not matched by the availability of land encourages the conversion of land functions that are not in accordance with their designation. The existence of the Klampok River as a water body receiving wastewater resulting from anthropogenic activities has caused the Klampok River to become polluted. Thus, it is important to study the water quality and water quality status of the Klampok River for nature conservation. This study aims to determine the water quality status of the Klampok River using the water quality index method, namely the National Sanitation Foundation – Water Quality Index (NSF-WQI) with reference to class II river water quality standards. NSF-WQI is a method that uses several specific parameters to determine river water quality.DO, fecal coliform, pH, BOD, nitrate, phosphate, temperature, turbidity, and total solids.The 2018 water quality index using the NSF-WQI method is in the range54.13 – 65.38with medium-good quality status. Meanwhile, the water quality index for 2019 using the NSF-WQI method is within the range35.47 – 66.60with moderate status, except for sampling point 6 which has bad status.

Sediment analysis and assessment of water quality in spacial variation using water quality index (NSFWQI) in Moragoda canal in Galle, Sri Lanka

The Moragoda Canal in Galle, Sri Lanka is one of the most widely used canals for water supply for various purposes. Water quality is deteriorating due to industrialization, agricultural practices and sewage disposal. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effects of industrialization and human activities on water quality and sediment composition in the Moragoda Canal in terms of water quality indices based on the National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSF-WQI). Sampling was done in three different stretches of the streams such as upstream, middle stream, and downstream for evaluation of water quality and sediment composition analysis. Nine water quality parameters such as dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, temperature, pH, turbidity, phosphate, nitrate, and total coliform were considered for index estimation. The correlation between water quality parameters generated by principal component analysis shows that the main parameters affecting the water quality are vary in three different stretches of the canal. Based on the water quality indicators, anthropogenic activities are accountable to deteriorate the quality of the canal. Therefore, the pollution status of the canal need to be aware publicly.

Evaluation of water quality of Chahnimeh as natural reservoirs from Sistan region in southwestern Iran: a Monte Carlo simulation and Sobol sensitivity assessment

Maintaining the water quality is essential because of the limitation of drinking water bodies and their significant effects on life. Recently, much scientific interest has been attracted to the ecological condition assessment of water resources. Because of numerous health issues connected to water quality, the present work aimed to define the water quality status of Chahnimeh reservoirs, Sistan and Baluchistan province, Iran via the Iran Water Quality Index (IRWQISC), the National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI), and human risk assessment. This cross-sectional descriptive work was accomplished in 4 seasons in 2020. The samples were gathered from 5 various points of Chahnimeh reservoirs. This study led to the results that the NSFWQI index was between 29.4 to 49.32, which showed “bad” quality, and the IRWQI index was between 19.27 and 39.23, which indicated “bad” and “relatively bad” quality. The best water quality based on both indexes was observed in the spring, and the worst was in the fall and summer. The highest value of HQ related to nitrate in drinking water was 1.60 in the group of children. However, according to the Monte Carlo simulation, HQ95% was estimated as 1.29. The Sobol sensitivity analysis of the first-order effect showed that daily water’s daily ingestion rate (IR) was the most sensitive input. In addition, the value of the second-order effect indicated that the interaction effect of concentration—ingestion rate was the most sensitive input parameter for HQ. Therefore, regular monitoring is necessary to ensure water safety for human consumption.

Evaluating Water Quality and Distribution of Phosphates and Nitrates in Soils, Water and Sediments from Agrochemicals Usage in Santa, Cameroon

Worldwide pollution of soils, rivers, streams and lakes from anthropogenic activities has been one of the most crucial environmental problems since the beginning of the 20th century. In Santa, the increasing use of agrochemicals is disturbing, as most farmers have little or no idea about application techniques or the effects of these chemicals on the environment. The objective of this work was to determine the knowledge on pesticides and fertilizer use by tracing their availability in surface and subsurface soils, in water and sediments using nitrates and phosphates, and by evaluating the quality of some water sources in Santa. Questionnaires were used to survey the knowledge of fertilizers and pesticide utilization by farmers, while water, soil and sediment samples were collected from selected field sites to determine the distribution of phosphates and nitrates. The pollution of water from some water sources in Santa was evaluated using the National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI). The results show that most farmers cultivate vegetables (86%), with high applications of pesticides for pest control, and 100% cultivate without fallowing using much fertilizer. 90% of the farmers used nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) fertilizers along with urea fertilizers. Phosphates were present in soils and sediments but absent in water, while, nitrates were present in soils, water and sediments. While phosphates were significantly higher than nitrates in soils and sediments, the reverse was observed in water, where nitrate concentrations were significantly higher than those of phosphates. Phosphates showed more mobility in the soil than nitrates, as phosphate concentration values were higher in subsurface soils than surface soils. NSFWQI values for three water bodies studied indicated moderate pollution, making them not suitable for drinking. The absence of fallowing and lack of proper knowledge on soil nutrient content have led to excessive use of agrochemicals by farmers in Santa, which has resulted in soil, water, and sediment contamination.

Evaluation of oral and dermal health risk exposures of contaminants in groundwater resources for nine age groups in two densely populated districts, Nigeria

Human health and the sustainability of the socioeconomic system are directly related to water quality. As anthropogenic activity becomes more intense, pollutants, particularly potentially harmful elements (PHEs), penetrate water systems and degrade water quality. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of using groundwater for domestic and drinking purposes through oral and dermal exposure routes, as well as the potential health risks posed to humans in the Nnewi and Awka regions of Nigeria. The research involved the application of a combination of the National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI), HERisk code, and hierarchical dendrograms. Additionally, we utilized the regulatory guidelines established by the World Health Organization and the Standard Organization of Nigeria to compare the elemental compositions of the samples. The physicochemical parameters and NSFWQI evaluation revealed that the majority of the samples were PHE-polluted. Based on the HERisk code, it was discovered that in both the Nnewi and Awka regions, risk levels are higher for people aged 1 to <11 and >65 than for people aged 16 to <65. Overall, it was shown that all age categories appeared to be more vulnerable to risks due to the consumption than absorption of PHEs, with Cd > Pb > Cu > Fe for Nnewi and Pb > Cd > Cu > Fe for water samples from Awka. Summarily, groups of middle age are less susceptible to possible health issues than children and elderly individuals. Hierarchical dendrograms and correlation analysis showed the spatio-temporal implications of the drinking groundwater quality and human health risks in the area. This research could help local government agencies make informed decisions on how to effectively safeguard the groundwater environment while also utilizing the groundwater resources sustainably.

Hemato-biochemical alteration in the bronze featherback Notopterus notopterus (Pallas, 1769) as a biomonitoring tool to assess riverine pollution and ecology: a case study from the middle and lower stretch of river Ganga.

Fishes are poikilothermic animals and are rapid responders to any sort of ecological alteration. The responses in the fish can be easily assessed from their hematological and biochemical responses. To study the variation in the hemato-biochemical parameters in retort to ecological alteration and ecological regime, a study was conducted at six different sampling stations of the middle and lower stretches of river Ganga. Various hematological and biochemical responses of fishes were also monitored in response to multiple ecological alterations. For the assessment of ecological alteration, various indices were calculated such as the water pollution index (WPI), National Sanitation Foundation-water quality index (NSF-WQI), and Nemerow's pollution index (NPI) has been calculated based on various water quality parameters such as dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total alkalinity (TA), total hardness (TH), electrical conductivity (EC), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chlorinity (CL), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP). The hematological parameters such as WBC, RBC, platelet, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were monitored. The serum biochemical parameters such as SGPT, SGOT, ALP, amylase, bilirubin, glucose, triglyceride (TRIG), and cholesterol (CHOL) were investigated. The study revealed that NSF-WQI varied from 45.08 at Buxar to 110.63 at Rejinagar and showed a significantly positive correlation with SGPT, SGOT, ALP, TRIG, CHOL, and WBC, whereas a significantly negative correlation was observed between TRIG and RBC. WPI varied from 19 to 23 and showed a significant positive correlation with SGOT and a negative correlation was observed with total nitrogen. The PCA analysis illustrated the significance of both natural as well as anthropogenic factors on riverine ecology. Strong positive loading was observed with SGPT, SGOT, ALP, and platelet. The study signified the need for monitoring the hemato-biochemical responses of fishes in response to alterations in the ecological regime.

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the water quality of the Damodar River, a tributary of the Ganga River in West Bengal.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40899-022-00790-2.

Water Quality Status of Omang Pond in Gunungsewu Karst Area, Gunungkidul, Indonesia

The Gunungsewu Karst Area has a unique hydrological system with limited surface water resources, especially in dry seasons. Karst ponds, thereby, play an essential role in meeting the local water needs. Omang is a karst pond used intensively for bathing and washing, which is thought to decrease water quality. The research objectives were (1) to determine the characteristics of the pond, (2) to analyze the pond water quality, and (3) to assess the water quality status. Water quality analysis was conducted at several points selected by purposive random sampling. Temperature, pH, DO, and TDS were measured directly in the field, while nitrate, phosphate, turbidity, BOD, and fecal coliform were tested in the laboratory. Also, the National Sanitation Foundation-Water Quality Index (NSF-WQI) was employed to assess the water quality status. Results showed that the pond has a shallow depth, making the bottom sediment prone to mixing, and a volume of 4,706.09 m3. Per Governor Regulation Number 20 of 2008, DO, BOD, nitrate, phosphate, and pH exceeded their respective upper limits for class II purposes. In contrast, temperature, turbidity, TDS, and fecal coliform met the recommended standards. Based on the NSF-WQI values, the status of the pond water quality was moderately polluted.

Assessment of urban river water quality using modified NSF water quality index model at Siliguri city, West Bengal, India

Rivers are the source of freshwater for any urban community and hence, monitoring of river water is an obligatory yet challenging task. This study was conducted in a subtropical urban river in India with the view of developing a quantitative approach to assess its water quality (WQ) status. For the purposes of this study, water samples were collected from five locations across the Mahananda River main streams encompassing both urbanised and non-urbanised parts of the Siliguri city during April to June of 2021 and collected samples were analysed for fourteen common WQ indicators: pH, Temperature, Conductivity, TDS, Turbidity, Total Hardness (TH), DO, BOD, COD, NO 3 − , PO 4 3− , Cl − , Fecal Coliform (FC) and E. coli for assessing water quality. In order to obtain WQ status, the present study utilised the modified national sanitation foundation (NSF) water quality index (WQI) model, whereas the crucial WQ indicators were identified using the principal components analysis (PCA) technique. All WQ indicators were considered to compute the NSF-WQI except water pH and TH. Most WQ indicators were breached the guideline values of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Indian Standards (IS) for surface water. The modified NSF-WQI results revealed that the Mahananda River water quality was “good” to “medium” quality and the water is only suitable for limited purposes under certain conditions. The findings of this study provided evidence that the river WQ is heavily influenced by urban pressures because relatively “good” WQ was found at the sampling location of the outer part of the urban area. The results of this research could be effective in improving the Mahananda River's water quality and maintaining its complex ecosystem in order to ensure sustainable urban growth.

WATER QUALITY INDEX AS A TOOL TO ASSESS WATER QUALITY OF SASTHAMKOTTA FRESHWATER WETLAND, A RAMSAR SITE IN INDIA

Lakes are versatile ecosystems thatperform valuable functions such as recycling nutrients,attenuating floods, recharging groundwater and also serve the water needs of the human populace.Nowadaysthe quality of surface water is getting deteriorating at a rapid pace due to excess waterwithdrawal and various anthropogenic activities. In this study, the water quality status ofSasthamkotta lake, a fresh water wetland in the south western part of India which is also a Ramsarsite is determined in terms of Central Pollution Control Board National Sanitation FoundationWater Quality Index. The study was carried out from the month of October 2018 to the month ofSeptember 2019 and parameters namely dissolved oxygen, faecal coliform, pH and biochemicaloxygen demand were analysed to determine the water quality status of the lake and the same wasmapped using Geographical Information System. It was found that major part of the lake comesunder the category good (Central Pollution Control Board National Sanitation Foundation WaterQuality index [CPCB-NSFWQI] ranging from 78 to 80). Localised moderately good water quality(CPCB-NSFWQI ranging from 76 to 78) was observed at sampling stations namely Bharanikkavuand Anjalimooduand very good water quality(CPCB-NSFWQI ranging from 80 to 82) was foundat the sampling stationnamely Kerala Water Authority main pumping station during the postmonsoonand the pre-monsoon season respectively. It was also found that the major portion of thenorth eastern part of lake comes under moderately good water quality during the monsoon season.Densely populated catchment area of the lake, physical setting of the lake characterised by steepslopes on three sides and excess runoff during rainfall could be attributed to the moderately goodwater quality of the lake. Water quality parameters namely faecal coliform exceeded thepermissible limits as per the Bureau of Indian Standards for drinking purpose at all the samplingstations throughout the study period. The designated best use of Sathamkotta lake belongs to thecategory ClassA (non-polluted source) (as per the various classes given by the Central PollutionControl Board based on the CPCB-NSFWQI values obtained during the study period.

Lake Sentani Water Quality Index based on NSF-WQI as Raw Water for Drinking Water for Lake Sentani Coastal communities, Jayapura Regency

Lake Sentani has an area of ​​about 9,630 ha and is located at an altitude of 72 m above sea level. Residents who live on the shores and shores of the lake, use the lake water for bathing, washing and latrine purposes. They also use it as raw water for drinking water and also as a means of transportation and even throw household waste into the lake water. There are 5 (five) rivers as the inlet, namely the Hawaii, Yamolo, Klandeli, Dofroko and Hobay rivers and there is one estuary, the Djaifuri River which is located in the east (Puay area). This study aims to determine the index of each water quality parameter and the total index of water quality. The water quality index parameters studied were; DO, Fecal coliform, pH, BOD, Temperature, Total Sulfate, Nitrate-N, Turbidity and Total Dissolved Solid (TDS). Sampling was carried out at 3 (three) sample points (stations) namely the mouth of the Haway River (Ifale Sentani), the middle of the lake (Ayapo Sentani) and the Upper Jaifuri River (Puay Yoka). Determination of the Total Water Quality Index is calculated using the National Sanitation Foundation's Water Quality Index (NSF-WQI) method for both Lake Sentani water and the total standard water quality index. The test results of each parameter are compared with the Class 1 Water Quality Standards Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 22 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of Environmental Protection and Management. The results obtained from the research at 3 (three) research stations turned out that station 1 obtained an index of 44.24 and station 3 obtained an index of 46.60 both classified as Bad (bad), station 2 obtained an index of 51.42 classified as Medium (medium), while the standard water quality class 1 obtained a quality index of 47.24 classified as Bad (poor) too. Thus, when compared with the standard water quality index of class 1, what meets the requirements as raw water for drinking water is lake water at station 2 (Ayapu Sentani) where the index value is greater than the quality standard.

Water quality index assessment methods for surface water: A case study of the Citarum River in Indonesia

Water quality index (WQI) can express overall water quality status in a single term. As such, the application of daily WQI assessment should help the general public be more aware of the condition of the surface water around them. As the longest and biggest river in the West Java Province, the Citarum River plays an important role in the life of the community and ecosystem around it. Therefore, this research evaluated which WQI assessment method was best suited for determining the Citarum River's water quality. We utilized West Java Province monitoring data collected from four monitoring stations along the Upstream Citarum. The WQI was calculated using the National Sanitation Foundation WQI (NSF WQI), Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment WQI (CCME WQI), and Oregon Water Quality Index (OWQI) assessment methods. Nine years of monitoring data were grouped and analyzed according to wet vs. dry months, wet vs. dry years, monitoring station, and year. Using the NSF WQI assessment method, the Citarum River obtained a ‘Fair’ and ‘Bad’ water quality grade with WQI ranging between 38.212 and 60.903 during dry months, 49.089 and 62.348 during wet months, 42.935 and 65.696 during dry years, and 39.002 and 58.898 during wet years. The data ranged from 41.458 and 61.206 from each monitoring station, and between 35.920 and 58.713 for the data from each monitoring year. The CCME WQI assessment method showed that the Citarum River had ‘Fair’, ‘Marginal’, and ‘Bad’ water quality with WQI ranging between 12.683 and 31.503 during dry months, 21.231 and 33.127 during wet months, 12.683 and 31.503 during dry years, 12.134 and 28.748 during wet years, 13.621 and 30.569 for the data from each monitoring station, and 13.219 and 68.808 for the data from each monitoring year. The OWQI assessment method gave the Citarum River a ‘Very Bad’ water quality rating with WQI ranging between 11.528 and 18.827 during dry months, 13.898 and 24.563 during wet months, 11.528 and 25.782 during dry years, 11.528 and 15.997 during wet years, 11.528 and 18.842 for each monitoring station, and 11.523 and 16.528 for the data from each monitoring year. Based on these results and the collated advantages and disadvantages of each method, the NSF WQI assessment method was deemed to be the best for determining the Citarum River's water quality.

Water quality assessment in the ecologically stressed lower and estuarine stretches of river Ganga using multivariate statistical tool.

Water quality of the Ganga River system is changing day by day due to multifold increase in population, especially near the banks of river Ganga, and associated exponential amplification of anthropogenic activities also played a remarkable role in it. The ecologically important lower and estuarine stretch of river Ganga comprising 7 different sampling stations, i.e., Jangipur, Berhampore, Balagarh, Tribeni, Godakhali, Diamond Harbour and Fraserganj, were selected for the study as the stretch is enriched with the vast number of floral and faunal diversity. The study was conducted for a period of 5years, i.e., from 2016 to 2020. In the study, various analytical tools and techniques were used for the assessment of riverine water quality, i.e., for calculation of water quality index(WQI); The National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSF-WQI) and the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCME-WQI) were used for the assessment.Along with WQI various statistical univariate as well as multivariate analytical tools like principal component analysis, correlation, ANOVA, and cluster analysis were also used to achieve the desired outputs. In the study, it has been observed that NSF-WQI varied from 61 to 2552, in which the higher value of NSF-WQI denoted the unsuitability of the water quality concerning the drinking water standards and vice versa. The CCME-WQI represented a similar trend as that of NSF-WQI, as it varied from 18 to 92 in which the lower value denoted degradation in the drinking water quality and vice versa. The study revealed that the Diamond Harbour-Fraserganj stretch is having an undesired level of water quality which were analyzed based on the drinking water guideline values of the Bureau of Indian Standards and that of NSF-WQI and CCME-WQI.

Optimal Location of Water Quality Monitoring Stations Using an Artificial Neural Network Modeling in the Qarah-Chay River Basin, Iran

The economic development, livelihood and drinking water of millions of people in the central plateau of Iran depend on the Qarah-Chay River, but due to a lack of inappropriate monitoring, it has been exposed to destruction and pollution. Consequently, an assessment of the river’s water quality is of utmost importance for both the management of human health and the maintenance of a safe environment, which can be achieved by determining the best locations for pollution monitoring stations along rivers. In this study, artificial neural networks (ANNs) has been used to optimize the locations for Qarah-Chay River monitoring stations in Markazi province, Iran. The data are collected based on the Iranian Water Quality Index (IRWQI), the US National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI) and the Oregon Water Quality Index (OWQI). The database is given to a multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network along with a geographic information system (GIS). The output of this study identified six pollution monitoring stations on the river, which are mainly downstream due to the accumulation of land uses and the concentration of pollution. The gradient of the MLP network training courses model from the proposed monitoring stations is 0.062299. In addition, the performance evaluation criteria of the proposed MLP model for F1-score, recall, precision and accuracy were 0.85, 0.84, 0.88 and 0.88, respectively. The results obtained help managers to properly monitor the river’s water resources with accuracy, efficiency and lower cost; furthermore, the findings were able to provide scientific references for river water quality monitoring and river ecosystem protection.

Ecological Health Assessment of Renuka Lake, Himachal Pradesh, India

Researchers, policymakers, and governments are increasingly interested in assessing the ecological health (EH) of lakes and streams. The EH of a lake can be expressed in terms of water quality, trophic state and biodiversity of riparian vegetation, macroinvertebrates and fishes. The ecological health index (EHI) of Renuka lake, Himachal Pradesh of India, was analyzed based on National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI), Carlson’s Trophic State Index (TSI), Simpson Diversity Index (SDI), and Shannon-Weiner index (SWI). The results of NSFWQI and CTSI are found in the range of 40-59 and 49.9-58.9 respectively indicating that the water quality was poor to medium and not suitable for drinking purposes but can be used for secondary purposes such as agriculture, industry, and recreation etc. The trophic state of the lake is similarly in the eutrophic range, with an overall EHI of 1.81-2.47, indicating poor to medium trophic status. Apart from analyzed results, the EH category from mesotrophic to a eutrophic state of the lake is caused due to the cultural siltation/nutrient loading, religious practices, land tenurial issues, and uncontrolled tourist pressure followed by recreational activities on water bodies and lake vicinity. Accordingly, suitable restoration methods such as source control, desilting/dredging, and lake aquatic plantation are suggested to recover the ecological health of the lake back to a mesotrophic or oligotrophic state.

Modeling the impact of potentially harmful elements on the groundwater quality of a mining area (Nigeria) by integrating NSFWQI, HERisk code, and HCs.

With excess potentially harmful elements (PHEs), drinking water is marked unsuitable and could pose some health risks when ingested or absorbed by humans. Different age groups are exposed to varied risk levels of PHEs. Analyzing the health risks of PHEs for several age groups could provide detailed insights for effective water resources management. No known study in Ameka Pb-Zn mine province (Nigeria) investigated the health risks of PHEs in water resources for several age groups. Therefore, in this paper, the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks (due to ingestion and dermal contact) of PHEs in groundwater resources of this area were investigated for nine age groups. To achieve its aim, this study integrated novel HERisk code, NSFWQI (national sanitation foundation water quality index), and hierarchical clusters (HCs) in modeling the groundwater quality. Standard elemental composition analysis revealed that the groundwater is polluted with PHEs. The NSFWQI indicated that 15% of the analyzed water samples have moderate water quality whereas 85% are unsuitable for drinking. The HERisk code, which considered nine age groups (1 to < 2years, 2 to < 3years, 3 to < 6years, 6 to < 11years, 11 to < 16years, 16 to < 18years, 18 to < 21years, 21 to < 65years, and > 65years), revealed that all the samples pose high chronic and cancer risks to all the age groups due to oral ingestion. However, it was realized that age groups 1 to < 16 and > 65 are posed with higher risks than age groups 18 to < 65. Overall, it was realized that all the age groups are far more exposed to ingest or absorb Se, Co, Cd, Se, As, Ni, and Pb than Cu, Fe, and Zn. Nevertheless, the health risks due to dermal absorption are far lower than the risks due to oral ingestion. Conclusively, children and aging people are more predisposed to the health threats than middle-aged populations. HCs and geospatial maps aided the spatiotemporal analysis of the groundwater quality.