Water Quality Assessment Research Articles

50 years of mining-induced environmental changes: topography, hydrology, and vegetation health in Kazreti, Georgia

Globally, prioritizing short-term economic gains from mineral extraction has led to a critical dilemma: a planet rich in resources struggles with environmental degradation and a diminishing ability to sustain future generations. Open-pit mining exemplifies this paradox, causing significant environmental damage. In Georgia, this extractive industry presents environmental problems. Despite these known consequences, the long-term impacts of mining activities remain understudied. This study addressed this gap by analyzing the effects of open-pit mining on terrain morphology, and water dynamics in the Kazreti region over a 50-year period (1970–2020) and vegetation health over 35-year period (1987–2022). By integrating water quality assessment, spatial analysis and remote sensing, we revealed the significant human-induced changes to the region’s ecosystem. Spatial analysis results suggested that over 156.7 million cubic meters of bedrock have been fragmented by mining in southern East Georgia, with 125.5 million cubic meters deposited in valleys. Consequently, discernible shifts in the trajectories of water flow were observed based on the hydrological model. Additionally, a comparative analysis of NDVI and EVI values revealed a decline in vegetation health near mining zones, while remote forest areas remained stable. June typically showed healthier vegetation due to cooler temperatures and optimal growing conditions, while August presented lower vegetation health due to increased heat stress. Water quality revealed significant loadings of Cu (58–1855 μg l−1), Zn (54–2582 μg l−1), Mn (1–2167 μg l−1), and Cd (0.1–4.5 μg l−1), in local river systems, which are higher than the Georgian official guideline values (Cu - 1000, Zn - 1000, Mn—100, Cd—1 μg l−1). This study highlighted the need for a broader long-term monitoring strategy to assess the migration of these contaminants within the food web and the consequent socio-economic impact.

Population structure and pathogen interaction of Escherichia coli in freshwater: Implications of land-use for water quality and public health in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Freshwater samples (n = 199) were obtained from 41 sites with contrasting land-uses (avian, low impact, dairy, urban, sheep and beef, and mixed sheep, beef and dairy) and the E. coli phylotype of 3980 isolates (20 per water sample enrichment) was determined. Eight phylotypes were identified with B1 (48.04%), B2 (14.87%) and A (14.79%) the most abundant. Escherichia marmotae (n = 22), and Escherichia ruysiae (n = 1), were rare (0.68%) suggesting that these environmental strains are unlikely to confound water quality assessments. Phylotypes A and B1 were overrepresented in dairy and urban sites (p < 0.0001), whilst B2 were overrepresented in low impact sites (p < 0.0001). Pathogens ((Salmonella, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium or Giardia) and the presence of diarrhoeagenic E. coli-associated genes (stx and eae) were detected in 89.9% (179/199) samples, including 80.5% (33/41) of samples with putative non-recent faecal inputs. Quantitative PCR to detect microbial source tracking targets from human, ruminant and avian contamination were concordant with land-use type and E. coli phylotype abundance. This study demonstrated that a potential recreational health risk remains where pathogens occurred in water samples with low E. coli concentration, potential non-recent faecal sources, low impact sites and where human, ruminant and avian faecal sources were absent.

Evaluation of SENTINEL-2 products-based algorithms in estimating water pollutants of the River Niger in Bamako

Monitoring surface water quality on a spatio-temporal scale is very important to restrict the entry of polluting components into water bodies, particularly rivers. Traditional techniques of assessing water quality are typically costly and time-consuming. With the advent of remote sensing technologies and the availability of high-resolution satellite images in recent years, a significant opportunity for water quality monitoring has arisen. Our study aims to test the use of Sentienl-2 multispectral imaging sensors in estimating three important water quality parameters: chlorophyll-a, Colored Dissolved Organic Matter and Total Suspended Matter in Niger River. Sentinel-2 satellite data were acquired in 2020. Atmospheric correction was performed using Sen2cor from the Sentinel toolbox to obtain a geometrically corrected Sentinel-2 multispectral image. We selected multiple water-body indices from the literature based on their spectral reflection characteristics, analyze correlations between the reflectance values of water body indices and the water quality parameters of synchronous measured sampling points in order to obtain an optimal water body index for estimating water quality parameters (WQP) in Niger River. Five regression functions were used in this study: linear regression, exponential, logarithmic, power and polynomial regression. The performance and accuracy of these regression models were evaluated by correlating spectral reflectance band ratio against the in situ water quality parameters (WQP) concentrations. Polynomial regression gave a higher performance and accuracy based on their R values. The best spectral index was selected to assess the spatio-temporal distribution of water pollutants in the Niger River in Bamako and its surroundings. The results showed that the polynomial regression of 6th degree provided the best fit had the best spectral band ratio and in situ Chl-a, CDOM and TSM concentrations which were respectively achieved with band index of B2/B3 (R2 = 0.78), B3/B6 (R 2 = 0.79) and B3/B4 (R 2 = 0.63). Therefore, the best band ratio was selected to evaluate Chl-a spatio-temporal in Niger River water in Bamako. The results of this study showed seasonal variability of the water pollutants in the Niger River. This highlights the potential of the Sentinel-2 products for water quality analysis. As a conclusion, the Sentinel-2 images could be helpful for precise water quality control of Niger River in Bamako.

Evaluation of drinking water quality and associated health risks in Adama City, Ethiopia

Drinking water deterioration causes to risk of public health which is essential to supply safe water to the public. This study assessed groundwater quality and health risks in Adama City by analyzing groundwater and chlorine samples. Ion photometry techniques detected anions and cations, ensuring accuracy with quality control protocols. Water Quality Index (WQI) and chlorine decay modeling via WaterGEMs assessed water quality. Hazard index (HI) calculations evaluated exposure risks; Pearson correlation analyzed physicochemical relationships. Findings highlighted water quality and hazards. Aquachem software analyzed Adama's groundwater, revealing high total alkalinity and potassium exceeding WHO limits. Other parameters (nitrate, nitrite, chloride, fluoride, and sulfate) met WHO standards. Sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, and boron also complied. Multivariate analysis showed significant parameter associations. Water types included Ca–Na–HCO3 (27.27 %), Na–Ca–HCO3 (36.36 %), Na–Ca–Mg–HCO3, Na–HCO3 (9.09 % each), and Na–Mg–HCO3 (18.18 %). Drinking Water Quality Index rated boreholes as "Good." Health risk assessments found no significant fluoride, iron, or manganese risks across ages. Chlorine residual analysis indicated 74 % had levels below WHO recommendations, prompting chlorine dosing adjustments. Findings inform groundwater management in Adama City.

How does the citizens' choice of water use actions based on their empirical knowledge affect the water quality in a rural community of the Philippines?

This research assessed water quality, based on the purpose of water consumption, in households in the municipality of Barbaza, the Province of Antique, Philippines, according to the national water quality guidelines. The effects of the empirical/traditional water use actions taken by local people on the quality of the water they use were investigated through a descriptive study using water quality measurements. Most of the drinking water in the community did not meet the required standards of pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), or coliform. Tap water and well water samples generally met the pH and TDS standards. However, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and coliform were detected, and nitrogen pollution in well water was also confirmed. Local practices, such as using old clothes as filters for well pumps, increased the coliform concentration from 0-10 CFU/mL to too numerous to count (TNTC) levels of more than 100 CFU/mL. Storing well water in a bucket also affected both E. coli and coliform concentrations. Such empirical/traditional water use actions create a high risk of exposing local people to harmful microorganisms. This research integrated citizen science into the methodology for local water management, which could assist governors, practitioners, and citizens, particularly in Southeast Asia, where strong community relationships exist.

Assessment of Water Quality in Chennai\'s Urban Lakes: Impacts of Urbanization and Encroachment

Assessment of Water Quality in Chennai\'s Urban Lakes: Impacts of Urbanization and Encroachment

Ecotoxicological Assessment of Ibayo River in Balanga City, Bataan using Water Fleas (Daphnia Magna): A Basis for Intervention

The water quality of surface waters is degrading tremendously due to human interventions and development. Especially in the Philippines, water pollution has become a prominent problem in urbanized areas. Thus, this study aims to investigate the ecotoxicological effects of the Ibayo River in Balanga City, Bataan using water fleas (daphnia magna), a type of zooplankton living in freshwater areas. Daphnids are used as indicators in toxicity testing, and in assessing water quality. The survival rate of water fleas is utilized to examine the properties of the examined. As the water fleas were subjected to the river water samples and their dilutions for a week, results showed a high survival rate in all samples. It also exhibited no significant difference in the sample places Meanwhile, laboratory analysis revealed that there is an organic pollution as an excessive amount of biological oxygen demand (BOD) and lesser dissolved oxygen from the sample places were found. Analysis for chlorine and pH level indicates a n ormal quantity. Overall, there are chemicals in the Ibayo river that may kill aquatic organisms residing in it, but the long-term survival of these species is still questionable.

Water Quality Identification and Analysis of Saguling Reservoir, West Bandung Regency

The Saguling Reservoir in West Bandung Regency is crucial for local water supply and biodiversity. However, water quality has significantly declined due to human activities, environmental changes, and poor waste management. This degradation jeopardizes the reservoir's clean water supply and the ecological health of surrounding communities. This research used the STORET (Storage and Retrieval) method to assess water quality through purposive sampling in the most affected zones, analyzing physical, chemical, and biological parameters at multiple depths. Key indicators, such as dissolved oxygen, nutrient concentrations, and heavy metal presence, were measured. Results show severe water quality deterioration, especially in deeper sections with less sunlight and aeration. Elevated nitrate and phosphate levels, mainly from agricultural runoff and residential waste, exceeded environmental safety standards. Toxic heavy metals like lead and mercury were also detected, posing serious risks to aquatic life and human health. The study highlights that deeper water zones are critically impacted by pollutants, stressing the need for better regulatory frameworks and waste management. Immediate strategic interventions are crucial to restore and protect the Saguling Reservoir's water quality for future generations.

The effect of sampling frequency and spatial and temporal variation in the density of fecal indicator bacteria on the assessment of coastal bathing water quality

The time and location of sampling as well as the number of samples per season can influence a reliable assessment of bathing water quality. In this study, we investigated the spatio-temporal variation of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) density and the effects of FIB variability and sampling frequency on the assessment of a single sample and the annual and final assessment of coastal bathing water quality. Increasing the number of samples from 10 to 20 per bathing season had a significant impact on bathing water quality assessment at sites where water quality fluctuations had previously been observed, resulting in a change in water quality to a lower category in 36 % of annual and 54 % of final assessments, suggesting that the minimum number of samples per season should be increased at such sites. Increasing the number of samples at sites assessed as excellent over a longer period had no impact on water quality assessment.Spatial and temporal variations in FIB density were significant at a considerable number of sites both in the single sample assessment and in the annual and final assessment. Bathing water quality was spatially unrepresentative at a quarter of the sites analyzed and temporally unrepresentative at a fifth, as there was at least one additional point with a lower bathing water quality than the official sampling point or the bathing water quality was lower in the afternoon than in the morning.When revising the current recreational water quality regulations, the impact of sampling frequency of and of spatio-temporal variation of FIB density on the relevance of bathing water quality assessment at sites subjected to pollution needs to be seriously considered.

Exploring Spatial Aggregations and Temporal Windows for Water Quality Match-Up Analysis Using Sentinel-2 MSI and Sentinel-3 OLCI Data

Effective monitoring and management of inland waterbodies depend on reliable assessments of water quality through remote sensing technologies. Match-up analysis plays a significant role in investigating the comparability between in situ and remote sensing data of physical and biogeochemical variables. By exploring different spatial aggregations and temporal windows, we aimed to identify which configurations are most effective and which are less effective for the assessment of remotely sensed water quality data within the context of governmental monitoring programs. Therefore, in this study, remote sensing data products, including the variables of Secchi depth, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity, derived from the Copernicus satellites Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3, were compared with in situ laboratory data from &gt;100 waterbodies (lakes and reservoirs) in Germany, covering a period of 5 years (2016–2020). Processing was carried out using two different processing schemes, CyanoAlert from Brockmann Consult GmbH and eoapp AQUA from EOMAP GmbH &amp; Co. KG, in order to analyze the influence of different processors on the results. To investigate appropriate spatial aggregations and time windows for validation (the match-up approach), we performed a statistical comparison of different spatial aggregations (1 pixel; 3 × 3, 5 × 5, and 15 × 15 macropixels; and averaging over the whole waterbody) and time windows (same day, ±1 day, and ±5 days). The results show that waterbody-wide values achieved similar accuracies and biases compared with the macropixel variants, despite the large differences in spatial aggregation and spatial variability. An expansion of the temporal window to up to ±5 days did not impair the agreement between the in situ and remote sensing data for most target variables and sensor–processor combinations, while resulting in a marked rise in the number of matches.

Water Quality Assessment of Outdoor Public Swimming Pools in Ovia North East, Edo State, Nigeria

Poor water quality management practices of public swimming pools have raised concerns about the health safety of these recreational facilities. This study evaluated the physicochemical properties and bacteriological quality of four (4) outdoor swimming pools in Ovia North East, Local Council of Edo State, Nigeria. Results of physicochemical analysis showed that water temperature (25.75 - 26.38°C), pH (3.78 - 6.1), electrical conductivity (37.5 - 72.5 mg/L), total dissolved solids (14.58 - 38.43mg/L), turbidity (0.75 - 4NTU), dissolve oxygen (6.03 - 7.43mg/L), residual chlorine (0.03 - 0.13mg/L), alkalinity( 7 - 26.5mg/L), hardness (6 - 36mg/L), were within the World Health Organisation and Environmental Protection Agency stipulated maximum permissible limit for recreational waters except for pH and residual chlorine levels. The presence of pathogenic microorganisms in all the studied pools – total bacteria count (1 – 3 cfu/100mL), total coliform count (1 – 5 cfu/100 mL) and E. coli count (1 – 2 cfu/100 mL) predisposes the users of these facilities to microbial infection. The findings demonstrated that the swimming pools did not meet the required standards, particularly in terms of pH levels, residual chlorine, and microbial parameters. There is a need for ongoing monitoring of swimming pool water quality, improving bathers’ hygienic practices, raising awareness about the associated risks, and providing training for governmental inspectors

Harmful Algal Blooms on the Portuguese coast: Cross-checking events with remote sensing ocean colour data for coastal management

Phytoplankton plays a vital role in marine ecosystems, serving as a primary food source for a diverse array of organisms, including commercially important bivalves, crustaceans, and fish. However, in some situations, the proliferation of algae can cause serious economic losses for aquaculture, fishing, and tourism and have major environmental and human health impacts. Increases in the occurrence of toxic phytoplankton blooms in Iberian waters have been reported. Earth Observation (EO) can provide important information about the spatial and temporal distribution and the destination of blooms, with scales not available for conventional monitoring techniques. The present work aims to take advantage of public databases (Harmful Algae Event Database (HAEDAT)) to relate ocean colour data, also publicly available, (Copernicus Marine Environmental Monitoring Service (CMEMS)) with the detection of the occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HABs). From the analysis of the HAEDAT database, it was possible to observe that in Portugal, from 1987 to 2020, there were 669 HABs events, with Diarrhetic Intoxication by Shellfish (DSP) syndrome. The images were extracted from multiple ocean colour sensors (2017–2020) for periods coinciding with DSP HABs events in recent years to identify patterns in the development of HAB toxins and to assist in coastal management. Having in account the HAB events analysed (12), was observed a weak but significant correlation between the datasets when the comparison was between the biotoxin concentration and its 14th day precedent Chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration (rSpearman=0.15). These results show how EO data relate to regular bivalve toxin monitoring programs on the Portuguese coast and are useful for future integration in modelling tools. Other than being useful for coastal water quality assessment and management, these results also reinforce the importance of maintaining existing monitoring programs on a regular basis, especially as some types of HABs may not be easily distinguishable by EO.

Self-purification in tropical upland rivers as affected by environmental factors: the case of Balili River in Benguet, Philippines

A major data gap in tropical river ecology is the limited documentation of natural water purification of upstream rivers. This study documented the improvement of water quality of downstream Balili River as affected by environmental factors and macrophyte diversity using a mixed-method approach (water quality assessment, plant inventory, field observation, canonical correspondence analysis, community interview). Results showed that the distance from pollution plays a significant role in the self-purification of the river while the floral diversity maintains the riparian from further contaminating the water and at the same time absorbing air pollutants. Generally, the pollution reduction and %change is exponential at 2 and 3 km from point source then taper at 4 and 5 km. At 3 km from the point source, 30% improvement in TDS, BOD and salinity, 25% for EC, 20% in TSS, 35% in WQI, 36% in CPI, and 50% for DO were noted. Key factors that influence the self-purification process in the river were distance from pollution source, elevation, human disturbance (as indicated by %tree canopy) and temperature. These findings highlight the importance of distance from pollution sources and floral diversity in driving water quality improvements, with implications for sustainable water resource management in tropical regions.

Predictive Analytics for Water Safety: Data Mining and Supervised Learning in Potability Classification

Water is crucial for survival, especially for consumption, yet its quality is under threat due to human-caused pollution. Contaminated water poses serious health risks, including the transfer of diseases transmitted by water. Therefore, assessing water quality is critical for ensuring its safety for consumption. Data mining and supervised machine learning algorithms can help classify water potability, revealing hidden patterns and correlations between water parameters. This study evaluates the effectiveness of K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Naïve Bayes, Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Neural Network methods in categorizing a water quality dataset. The evaluation is aimed at selecting the most accurate procedure, as indicated by the highest accuracy rate. Results show that Neural Network exceeds KNN (81%), Naïve Bayes (63%), and SVM (73%), with a 85% accuracy rate. Keywords : Classification, Data Mining, Supervised Machine Learning, Water Potability

Expanding access to water quality monitoring with the open-source WaterScope testing platform

Increasing access to water quality tests in low-income communities is a crucial strategy toward achieving global water equality. Recent studies in the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector underscore the importance of addressing practical concerns in water testing, such as robustness and results communication. In response, we present the WaterScope testing kit; an open-source, validated platform for drinking water quality assessment. It modernises the testing process with the inclusion of a unique cartridge/slider mechanism, machine-learning-enhanced classification and full digitalisation of results. WaterScope’s equivalency to conventional methods for quantifying E. coli is established through extensive validation experiments in both laboratory and field environments. This versatile platform provides potential to expand its applications to test other bacteria, perform colorimetric assays, and analyse clinical samples such as blood/urine samples. We anticipate that the system’s ease-of-use, portability, affordability, robustness, and digital nature will accelerate progress toward global water equality.

Assessment of the ecological status of the river water system in European North under conditions of ultra-fresh humus waters using biotic indices (Suna River, Lake Onega Basin, Russia).

Protecting rivers and lakes from pollution is crucial for maintaining the health of aquatic ecosystems and ensuring the well-being of both wildlife and humans. Present study intends to examine the water quality of the Suna River (Eastern Fennoscandia in the European North of Russia) to assess the ecological risk. Widespread methods for assessing water quality based on macrozoobenthos and phytoperiphoton were applied. It was found that in conditions of ultra-fresh waters with high humus content, biotic indicators may indicate pollution of water bodies that do not actually experience significant anthropogenic impact. Ratings ranging from 'poor' to 'excellent' were obtained for different stations, reflecting the influence of natural features of different sections of the river. 'Good' water quality was noted at the river stones biotopes. In river gravel, sand and silt biotopes, as well as all lake biotopes, 'mediocre' water quality was found. The low anthropogenic income on the river catchment allows us to conclude that most indices for assessing water quality significantly underestimate the results in the natural conditions of Eastern Fennoscandia. Biotic indices EPT, BBI and EBI are most accurate for assessing the water quality of rivers and lakes in Eastern Fennoscandia.

Irrigation Water Quality Assessment in Egyptian Arid Lands, Utilizing Irrigation Water Quality Index and Geo-Spatial Techniques

This study focused on assessing surface water quality in the northwest part of the Egyptian Nile Delta (El-Menoufia Governorate) and evaluated water suitability for irrigation purposes using the Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI), Permeability Index (PI), Wilcox, United State Salinity (USSL) diagram, and Piper trilinear diagrams categories, taking into consideration various water quality parameters. The results showed that, based on the IWQI, most of the water samples (61.8%) in the investigated area fell under the no restriction water (NR) category. Furthermore, the Wilcox diagram demonstrated that most of the investigated water samples (93.6%) are categorized as doubtful water; this shows that those samples have a higher sodium content material. According to the USSL diagram, most of the water samples (70.9%) fell into the high salinity (C) and moderate sodium (S) content (C3S2) class. According to the PI index, 8.2% of the tested water samples fell into class II (suitable for irrigation) and 91.8% fell into class III (unsuitable for irrigation). Based on the Piper trilinear, the water type is Na-Cl-HCO3. According to these results, most of the water samples require more water regulations, are categorized as doubtful water that causes plants’ augmentation sensitivity if used for irrigation, and fell into the high salinity (EC) and sodium absorption ratio (SAR) magnitude, which might have negative outcomes on soil and plant health if used for irrigation, have extensive obstacles, and are improper for irrigation. Therefore, proper management practices and treatments may be vital to mitigate the adverse effects of salinity and SAR on soil and plant health in this study area. Therefore, addressing water deficiency and quality in Egypt’s northwest Nile delta is crucial for suitable irrigation purposes.

Rainfall Dependency and Water quality Assessment of springs of three villages of Rudraprayag District: An analysis of veins of Uttarakhand Himalaya

A spring is a crevice in the substrate that forms naturally and allows water to pour out directly from the earths subsurface. Every major river in the country has a system of springs that serve as a symbolic representation of its source. But this very fundamental source of many resources is in peril. The problem is mainly related with the reduced discharge rate of water from the spring. The reason of truncate discharge rate is variability in the rainfall pattern in the recharge area due to the climate change over the years.To ensure the quality and security of the public's water supply, regular quality assessments of drinking water sources are required. In consequence, this study not only analyse the rainfall dependency of springs but also evaluated the spring water quality for drinking, using water quality index, in three villages located in Jakholi block of Rudraparayag district, Uttarakhand. The ten foremost physiochemical elements that regulate water quality—Nitrate, Fluoride, Iron, pH, Turbidity, Chloride, Residual Chlorine, Magnesium, sulphate, and Hardness—were investigated to ensure compliance with guidelines defined by the Bureau of Indian Standards IS: 12500:2012. After examining the data, it became apparent that all of the indicators pointed to acceptable water quality, making it ideal for drinking. However, because of its low discharge and great reliance on rainfall, its position is getting more detrimental.

Geochemistry of fluoride mobilization in the hard-rock aquifers of central India: Implication for fluoride-safe drinking water supply

Globally, groundwater contamination by fluoride (F−) is a threat to the safe drinking water supply. Nevertheless, our understanding of the geochemical processes of F− mobilization to the groundwater by linking groundwater and aquifer material chemistry is limited. We therefore characterized that in the hard-rock aquifers of Central India, an area that has not been investigated thoroughly despite the known severity of the problem. Exploratory drilling of boreholes (n = 45) and lithostratigraphic modeling identified weathered basalt, vesicular basalt, fractured basalt, sandstone of Lameta, and fractured granite as major aquifers in the study area. The groundwater contamination by F− (concentration >1.5 mg/L) mainly occurred at depths >35 m bgl (at elevations <500 m amsl) of the fractured basalt and fractured granite aquifers, while samples collected from the shallow basalt, sandstone of Lameta, and shallow granite were mostly safe. The F− contamination of groundwater was primarily governed by the chemical evolution of groundwater along the flow path. Solute mass balance in groundwater, in conjunction with the mineralogical characterization of the aquifer materials, suggests that weathering of silicate and carbonate minerals was the dominant form of mineral dissolution in aquifers, which consumed dissolved CO2 along the flow path and resulted in an alkaline pH (>8) in groundwater of the deeper aquifers. The mobilization of F− in the groundwater could primarily be attributed to the ion exchange between OH− in water and structural F− in fluorapatite and F-bearing mica/amphibole. By assessing water quality and aquifer properties, this study suggests that primarily, the sandstone of Lameta and weathered and vesicular basalts can be targeted for F-safe drinking water supply in the study area. Targeting shallow aquifers can be an option for F-safe drinking water supply in other affected areas with similar geological and environmental settings.

Quantitative Effects of Anthropogenic and Natural Factors on Heavy Metals Pollution and Spatial Distribution in Surface Drinking Water Sources in the Upper Huaihe River Basin in China.

The water quality of sources in the Huaihe River Basin significantly affects the lives and health of approximately 16.7% of China's population. Identifying and quantifying pollution sources and risks is essential for effective water resource management. This study utilized Monte Carlo simulations and Geodetector to assess water quality and eutrophication, as well as to evaluate the sources of heavy metals and the associated health risks for both adults and children. The results showed that eutrophication of water sources in Huaihe River was severe, with an overall EI value of 37.92; 67.8% of the water sources were classified as mesotrophic and 32.2% classified as eutrophic. Water quality and eutrophication levels in the southern mountainous regions were better than those in the densely populated northern areas. Adults were found to have a higher carcinogenic risk than children, whereas children faced a higher noncarcinogenic risk than adults. Cr presented the highest carcinogenic risk, affecting more than 99.8% of both adults and children at levels above 1 × 10-6 but not exceeding 1 × 10-4. The noncarcinogenic risk from metals did not surpass a level of 1, except for Pb. As was primarily influenced by agricultural activities and transportation, whereas Cd, Cr, and Pb were mainly affected by industrial activities, particularly in local textile industries such as knitting and clothing manufacturing. The analysis demonstrated that the influence of anthropogenic factors on heavy metal distribution was significantly enhanced by indirect natural factors. For example, the explanatory power of Precipitation and Road Network Density on As was 0.362 and 0.189, respectively, whereas their interaction had an explanatory power as high as 0.673. This study indicates that the geodetector method is effective in elucidating the factors influencing heavy metal distribution in water, thereby providing valuable insights into pollution sources in global drinking water.