Environmental and Applied Bioresearch Published Online July 15, 2015 (

Journal of Environmental and Applied Bioresearch Published online July 15, 2015 (http://www.scienceresearchlibrary.com)

ISSN: 2319 8745 Vol. 03, No. 03, pp. 137 - 141

Research Article Open Access

SUITABILITY OF GANGA CANAL WATER FOR DRINKING PURPOSE AT HARIDWAR, UTTARAKHAND,

INDIA

Nitin Kamboj and Ravinder Singh Aswal*

Department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences, Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar, India

Received: June 07, 2015 / Accepted : June 09, 2015 ⓒ Science Research Library

Introduction Abstract The quality of water in an aquatic ecosystem basically The lack of awareness and education among people coupled depends on physical, chemical and biological characteristics of its with poor legislations have resulted into deterioration of water sources and subsequently, severely affected health of nearby population owing surrounding atmosphere (Langmuir, 1997; Lester and Birkett, to poor water quality. Water quality index (WQI) is an indicator of 1999 and Choudhury et al., 2014). The water quality index (WQI) water quality, which reveals the composite influence of a number of is an index that reflects the composite influence of a variety of water quality parameters and is useful in determining suitability of water quality parameters (Brown et al., 1970; Prati et al., 1971; water for drinking purpose in easy and understandable way even by a Singh and Anandh, 1996; Alexander et al., 1999; Swamee and common and non-scientific person. Under the study, assessment of the Tyagi, 2000; Pesce and Wunderlin, 2000; Nair et al., 2005; Nair et water quality of Ganga Canal starting from near Goa Beach, Rishikesh al., 2006; Bordalo et al., 2006; Sanchez et al., 2007; Saha et al., as reference site and Ganga Canal at Bhimgoda Barrage (Haridwar), 2007 and Saha, 2010). There are several types of water quality Premnagar Ashram (Haridwar), Pathari Power Plant (Bahadrabad), indexes namely Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index Rail Bridge (Roorkee) and Uttam Sugar Mill Ltd. (Narsan), (WAWQI), National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index Uttarakhand, India as sampling sites for drinking purpose was carried (NSFWQI), Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment out for a period of 6 months on monthly basis from September-2013 to Water Quality Index (CCMEWQI), Oregon Water Quality Index February-2014. Total eleven water quality parameters namely (OWQI) etc. The WAWQI is commonly applied for the turbidity, pH, total hardness, alkalinity, chloride, total dissolved solids assessment of water quality of relevant water bodies for drinking (TDS), calcium, magnesium, sulphate, nitrate and iron were purpose. Several studies on the water quality of different considered for the calculation of WQI. The calculated higher values of Himalayan Rivers have been carried out by many researchers WQI indicated that water of Ganga Canal at all the sites is unsuitable (Chakrapani, 2005; Semwal and Akolkar, 2006; Okendro et al., for drinking purpose. These higher WQI values may be ascribed due to higher concentrations of turbidity and iron parameters as per current 2007; Bhandari and Nayal, 2008; Sati and Paliwal, 2008; Singh et Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) limits. al., 2008; Kaushik et al., 2009; Kumar and Bahadur, 2009 and Kansal et al., 2011). However, none of these studies give a Keywords: WQI, Water Quality Parameters, Ganga Canal, Rishikesh, comprehensive picture about suitability of water quality of Ganga Haridwar Canal for drinking need at different popular sites/ locations of Haridwar district. Therefore, present study has been undertaken to have *Corresponding author: [email protected] knowledge and information about suitability of Ganga River and Ganga Canal water for drinking purpose and to evaluate their

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Suitability of ganga canal water for drinking purpose at Haridwar (Uttarakhand), India 138 water quality index, which is useful for water planning and Two physico-chemical parameters i.e. pH and turbidity management departments of Uttarakhand, India. were analyzed on-site, whereas remaining nine parameters viz. TDS, alkalinity, chloride, total hardness, sulphate, nitrate, calcium, Materials and Methods magnesium and iron were analyzed in laboratory. Analysis of Study Area sulfate and nitrate was carried out by using UV-VIS Spectrophotometer (Make: Hach; Model: DR 5000). While, Water samples were collected from Ganga Canal, which calcium, magnesium and iron were analyzed by using Atomic is flowing through Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India on Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) (Make: Varian; Model: AA monthly basis from six different sites for a period of 6 months 240). from September-2013 to February-2014. The sampling sites, their GPS co-ordinates and elevation above mean sea level (MSL) are Water Quality Index (WQI) given below in Table 1: The WQI is used to determine suitability of Ganga Canal Table 1: Location of sampling sites, GPS co-ordinates and water for drinking purpose, which is based on 11 water quality elevation in Haridwar parameters. It was calculated by adopting the procedures and S.N. Name of Sampling Latitude/ Elevation Location & equations described in various studies (Kaur et al., 2001; Debels et Sampling Sites Longitude above District al., 2005; Nair et al., 2006; Akoteyon et al., 2011; Bharti and Sites Code MSL Katyal, 2011 and Kankal et al., 2012). 1. Near Goa SS 1 N 29º 60’ 285 m Haridwar The WQI using weighted arithmetic method is calculated Beach 25.9”/ E 078º 14’ on the basis of following formula: 28.1” WQI = ∑ WiQi / ∑ Wi 2. Bhimgoda SS 2 N 29º 60’ 275 m Haridwar Where, Wi = Unit Weight of ith water quality variable, Barrage 25.9”/ E th 078º 14’ Qi = Quality Rating of i water quality variable 28.1” 3. Premnagar SS 3 N 29º 55’ 266 m Haridwar Categorization of Water Quality for Drinking Purpose Ashram 48.8”/ E using WQI 078º 08’ 10.3” The categorization of water quality on the basis of 4. Pathari SS 4 N 29º 55’ 240 m Bahadrabad, Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index as unit weight is used to Power 41.5”/ E Haridwar calculate the WQI has been mentioned in following Table 2: Plant 078º 02’ 24.7” Table 2: Standard rating of water quality as per WQI values 5. Rail Bridge SS 5 N 29º 50’ 244 m Roorkee, 59.4”/ E Haridwar for drinking purpose 077º 52’ S. No. Category Scale of Water Quality Water Quality Rating 49.0” Index (WQI) (WQR) 6. Uttam SS 6 N 29º 44’ 242 m Narsan, 1. A <25 Excellent Sugar Mill 00.7”/ E Haridwar 2. B 26-50 Good Ltd. 077º 51’ 3. C 51-75 Poor 30.9” 4. D 76-100 Very Poor 5. E >100 Unsuitable Collection of Water Samples Results and Discussion The water sample collection was carried out through The statistically analyzed data of water quality of eleven grab sampling method. The collection of water samples, their water quality parameters from Ganga Canal water from Goa Beach preservation and transportation to the laboratory followed by (reference site); Bhimgoda Barrage, Haridwar; Premnagar analysis were carried out as per Bureau of Indian Standards Ashram, Haridwar; Pathari Power Plant, Bahadrabad, Rail Bridge, (BIS): 10500 (2012) and American Public Health Association Roorkee and Uttam Sugar Mill Ltd., Narsan (sampling sites) from (APHA), 1998 methods. September-2013 to February-2014 are given in Table 3. Analysis Procedure of Water Samples

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139 Suitability of ganga canal water for drinking purpose at Haridwar (Uttarakhand), India

Table 3: Statistically analyzed data of eleven water quality parameters at six sites of Ganga Canal, Haridwar from September- 2013 to February-2014

Parameters BIS: 10500 (2012) Goa Beach, Bhimgoda Barrage, Premnagar Ashram, Pathari Power Rail Bridge, Uttam Sugar Mill Ltd., Rishikesh, Haridwar Haridwar Plant, Roorkee, Narsan, Haridwar Dehradun Bahadrabad, Haridwar Haridwar

DL PL Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD

Turbidity, NTU 1 5 47.13 50.82 41.53 47.35 56.83 66.35 54.20 62.76 60.23 67.64 66.62 77.62

pH 6.5 - 8.5 No Relax 7.72 0.13 7.76 0.13 7.71 0.22 7.66 0.16 7.69 0.19 7.66 0.20

TDS, mg/L 500 2000 172.17 19.67 175 14.95 189.7 18.52 179 17.20 181.50 4.09 179.50 9.87

Total Hardness, 200 600 122.33 12.93 119 5.62 126 16.86 133 23.96 123.83 16.20 117 7.40 mg/L

Alkalinity, mg/L 200 600 82.50 9.75 80.50 7.94 88.50 8.09 85.83 10.05 87.67 3.67 83 8.46

Chloride, mg/L 250 1000 2.13 0.98 2.35 1.12 2.83 0.38 2.18 0.72 2.13 0.53 2.28 1.00

Sulphate, mg/L 200 400 18.83 4.02 22.50 2.95 23.33 5.24 21 5.76 20.83 4.02 23.33 3.44

Nitrate, mg/L 45 No Relax 2.15 1.83 1.43 0.79 1.68 1.29 1.55 0.59 1.85 0.72 1.87 1.14

Calcium, mg/L 75 200 28.37 4.25 28.61 3.59 31.19 4.73 29.38 3.74 28.43 1.62 29.32 2.89

Magnesium, mg/L 30 100 7.84 2.62 8.74 1.47 9.32 1.75 8.21 0.79 9.10 0.68 8.09 1.11

Iron, mg/L 0.30 No Relax 0.86 1.22 0.75 1.00 0.74 0.96 1.13 1.63 2.06 2.96 1.92 1.86

SD = Standard Deviation, DL = Desirable Limit, PL = Table 4: Water quality rating of Ganga River, Dehradun and Permissible Limit Ganga Canal, Haridwar on the basis of calculated WQI values The water quality rating of Ganga Canal, Haridwar on the basis of calculated WQI Values is described in Table 4 as given below:

S.N. Sampling Site Specifications Water Quality Index Values Water Quality Grading Water Quality Rating

1. Near Goa Beach, Haridwar Above 100 311.20 E Unsuitable for drinking

2. Bhimgoda Barrage, Haridwar -Do- 272.14 E Unsuitable for drinking

3. Premnagar Ashram, Haridwar -Do- 285.60 E Unsuitable for drinking

4. Pathari Power Plant, Bahadrabad -Do- 399.90 E Unsuitable for drinking

5. Rail Bridge, Roorkee -Do- 686.11 E Unsuitable for drinking

6. Uttam Sugar Mill Ltd., Narsan -Do- 650.87 E Unsuitable for drinking During study period, the WQI value was calculated as above 100 and thus, graded as ‘E’ (unsuitable for drinking 311.20 at Goa Beach, Rishikesh. Therefore, it was graded ‘E’ and purpose). Further, water quality rating of Ganga Canal was found unsuitable for drinking purpose. Similarly, Bhimgoda observed unsuitable at Premnagar Ashram due to higher WQI as Barrage also had higher WQI value as 272.14. Since, it was found 285.60 and thus, graded ‘E’.

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Suitability of ganga canal water for drinking purpose at Haridwar (Uttarakhand), India 140

Study site of Pathari Power Plant at Bahadrabad was References determined with ‘E’ grade because of higher WQI value, which I.S. Akoteyon, A.O. Omotayo, O. Soladoye and H.O. Olaoye (2011). was calculated as 399.90. It makes the water of Ganga Canal Determination of water quality index and suitability of unsuitable for drinking at this site. Furthermore, due to value of urban river for municipal water supply in Lagos-Nigeria. WQI as 686.11, the water of Ganga Canal near Rail Bridge, Eur. J. Sci. Res., 54(2): 263–271. Roorkee was also found unsuitable for drinking. Moreover, the S.A. Alexander, D.A. Jeyakar, J. Chellaraj, P. Merlin and A. water near Uttam Sugar Mill Ltd. (Narsan) was also graded as ‘E’, Rajendran (1999). Formulation of a new water quality index which cannot be used for drinking purpose. Water of all the above – HWQI2. Indian J. Environ. Prot., 19(11): 842-845. APHA, AWWA and WEF (1998). 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