WQI Assessment for Swarnamukhi River water at Chandragiri, Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

Potable water remains a global issue as the world continues to consume water from untreated sources. Almost all human activities such as domestic, agricultural and industrial need water. Quality of water is crucial for all. The Water Quality Index (WQI) has a distinctive ranking that summarizes the state of water quality at a glance for any particular region. Policymakers and other stakeholders generally agree with this approach since it can represent a complete picture of the quality of water bodies. The WQI is based on the analysis of various physicochemical parameters. In this research work, the WQI assessment of the water quality of river Swarnamukhi was taken up and conducted the study during the winter season, for 6 different locations along the River at Chandragiri town and 1 location within town in Tirupati region from Andhra Pradesh state, India. The parameters such as pH, temperature, turbidity, DO, BOD5, NO3 and PO4 were considered for analysis purposes as per the BIS and WHO norms. The National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index method (NSFWQI) is used in WQI calculations. The average WQI value obtained is 67.25. It indicates medium water quality helps locals to know the quality at a glance and provides information to improve the quality of the river.