Study Report (Draft copy) Impact of Lockdown due to COVID-19 Pandemic on Surface Water Quality GUJARAT POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD, SECTOR 10 A, GANDHINAGAR CONTRIBUTIONS Shri Mukesh Puri, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development & Urban Housing Department, and Chairman, Gujarat Pollution Control Board Inspiration and Guidance : Shri A. V. Shah Member Secretary, Gujarat Pollution Control Board Dr. S. N. Agravat, Coordination and : Head, Central Laboratory, compilation GPCB, Gandhinagar Shri B. M. Makwana Senior Scientific Officer, GPCB, Gandhinagar Inputs by : Shri K. B. Vaghela, Scientific Officer, GPCB, Gandhinagar Dr. Sweta Patel, Report Prepared by : Scientific Officer, GPCB, Gandhinagar Page 2 of 53 Contents Sr. No. Details Page No. 1 Introduction 4 2 Objectives of the study 4 3 Parameters 5 4 Primary water quality criteria for different uses 6 5 Water Quality monitoring of River Sabarmati 7 6 Water Quality monitoring of River Khari 11 7 Water Quality monitoring of River Narmada 15 8 Water Quality monitoring of River Mahi 19 9 Water Quality monitoring of River Vishwamitri 23 10 Water Quality monitoring of River Tapi 27 11 Water Quality monitoring of River Damanganga 31 12 Water Quality monitoring of Amlakhadi 35 13 Water Quality monitoring of River Kolak 39 14 Water Quality monitoring of River Shedhi 43 15 Water Quality monitoring of River Kalindri 47 16 Water Quality monitoring of different Rivers of Gujarat 50 17 Conclusion 53 18 References 53 Page 3 of 53 Impact of Lockdown due to COVID-19 Pandemic on Surface Water Quality 1.Introduction Water quality monitoring facilitates evaluation of nature and extent of pollution and effectiveness of pollution control measures, water quality trends and prioritization of pollution control efforts. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had established a network of monitoring stations across the country under National Water Quality Monitoring Programme(NWQMP) in order to perform the functions laid down under The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, to understand the nature of water quality in the various water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds, tanks, creeks, canals and groundwater etc. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) is monitoring the quality of water bodies at 2500 locations across the country under National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWQMP). The inland water quality-monitoring network is operated under a Monitoring of Indian National Aquatic Resources System (MINARS) and Global Environmental Monitoring System(GEMS) programmes. On account of various discharge of wastewater in river, the quality is likely to be adversely affected. It is therefore, necessary to monitor the quality of the various river waters. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board is monitoring the water quality from 70 sampling stations located on various rivers in the Gujarat State under the Monitoring of Indian National Aquatic Resources System (MINARS) Project. These rivers include Sabarmati, Meshwo, Anas, Mahi, Panam, Narmada, Damanganga, Kolak, Par, Tapi, Ambica etc. Under this project ground water quality and lake water quality are also monitored periodically by GPCB. Global Environmental Monitoring System project includes an assessment of the quality of water of the major rivers of the State, viz. Narmada, Tapi, Mahi. The quality of surface water monitoring under this GEMS project has been carried out at 6 stations and monitoring of ground water quality at 2 stations has been carried out. 2.Objectives of the study Owing to COVID-19 pandemic followed by national lockdown, industrial activities were at the lower level or stopped. Therefore, there would definitely be less effluent generated and discharged. Hence it is appropriate time to study the level of pollution coming from the Page 4 of 53 industrial sectors and to assess the health of the rivers so as to find out measurable impact on the surface water quality because of imposed nationwide lockdown period due to COVID – 19 pandemics. To study pollution levels in surface water during pre-lockdown and lockdown periods was made through analysing data for Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Ammonical Nitrogen (NH3-N). The concentration of this parameters were examined for Pre-lockdown period (average data from January 2020 to March 2020), Lockdown 1 (L1) period (25 March – 14 April, 2020), Lockdown 2 (L2) period (15 April – 3 May 2020), Lockdown 3 (L3) period (4–17 May 2020) and Lockdown 4 (L4) period (18–31 May). 3.Parameters The water samples have been analyzed for following parameters (Table 1) and the effects of important Parameters are mentioned in Table 2. Table: 1 List of Parameters with analytical methods and equipment used Sr. No Parameters Method of Analysis Ammonical Nitrogen Distillation followed by Titration method APHA 23rd edi. 1 (NH3-N) 4500 NH3 B & C Chemical Oxygen 2 Open Reflux Method APHA 23rd edi - 5220 B Demand (COD) Biochemical Oxygen Demand Three days BOD at 27 0C IS 3025 (Part 44) 1993 3 (BOD) 3 days at 27 Reaffirmed 1999 ˚C Dissolved Oxygen 4 APHA 23rd edition 4500-O C OR Instrumentation (DO) Table: 2 List of parameters and their effects Parameters Effects Indicates pollution and growth of algae. It is toxic to fish and aquatic organisms, even in very low concentrations. Ammonia levels greater than approximately 0.1 mg/L usually indicate polluted waters. The danger of Ammonia ammonia poses for fish depends on the water’s temperature and pH, along with the dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. The higher the pH and the warmer the temperature, the more toxic the ammonia. To measure the amount of biologically oxidizable organic matter present Biochemical Oxygen in wastewater, BOD is one of the regulatory standards for effluent Demand discharge. Due to decreasing DO, fish and other aquatic life are threatened; in the Dissolved Oxygen extreme case, killed. As DO level falls undesirable odors, tastes and colors reduce the acceptability of water. Page 5 of 53 4. Primary water quality criteria for different uses Table: 3 Use based classification of surface waters in India specified by CPCB, 1979 and the Bureau of Indian Standards, 1982 Class of Designated-Best-Use Criteria water 1. Total Coliforms Organism MPN/100ml shall be 50 or less Drinking Water Source without 2. pH between 6.5 and 8.5 conventional treatment but after A 3. Dissolved Oxygen 6mg/L or more disinfection 4. Biochemical Oxygen Demand 5 days 20°C 2mg/L or less 1. Total Coliforms Organism MPN/100ml shall be 500 or less 2. pH between 6.5 and 8.5 Outdoor bathing (Organized) B 3. Dissolved Oxygen 5mg/L or more 4. Biochemical Oxygen Demand 5 days 20°C 3mg/L or less 1. Total Coliforms Organism MPN/100ml shall be 5000 or less Drinking water source after 2. pH between 6 to 9 conventional treatment and C 3. Dissolved Oxygen 4mg/L or more disinfection 4. Biochemical Oxygen Demand 5 days 20°C 3mg/L or less 1. pH between 6.5 to 8.5 2. Dissolved Oxygen 4mg/L or more Propagation of Wild life and D 3. Free Ammonia (as N) Fisheries 4. Biochemical Oxygen Demand 5 days 20°C 2 mg/L or less 1. pH between 6.0 to 8.5 2. Electrical Conductivity at 25°C micro Irrigation, Industrial Cooling, E mhos/cm Max.2250 Controlled Waste disposal 3. Sodium Absorption Ratio Max. 26 4. Boron Max. 2mg/L Page 6 of 53 5.Water Quality monitoring of River Sabarmati The Sabarmati basin extends over an area of 21,674 sq km. Located in Western India, the basin covers areas in the States of Rajasthan and Gujarat. It raises in the Aravalli hills. The total length of the river from the head to its outfall into the sea is 371 km. Fig: 1 Sampling locations of River Sabarmati The major tributaries are the Sei, Wakal, Watrak, Shedhi, Harnav, Guhai, Hathmati, Khari, Meshwo, Mazam and Mohar[1][2]. The river Sabarmati and its tributaries are all rain-fed. There are 20 industrial estates developed by Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation in Sabarmati Basin area. The major industrial estate includes Naroda, Odhav, Vatva, Narol, Danilimda. The textile industry continues to dominate the industrial scene in Ahmedabad. The immense urban and industrial growth combined with growing demand of irrigation water has taken their toll as observed by the deteriorating water quality recorded particularly from Ahmedabad city to Vautha. The total length of the stretch from Ahmedabad city to Vautha is of 52 km and in the polluted river stretch; the main contributing outfalls are the Maninagar (mixed effluent) and river Khari (industrial). The monitoring locations for River Sabarmati are shown in Figure no.1. The important findings for water quality of River Sabarmati during the study period is as per Table No. 4. Whereas the graphical presentation of water quality in terms of different parameters is depicted in Figure No. 2 Page 7 of 53 Table: 4 Water Quality of River Sabarmati during Pre-lockdown and Lockdown Ammonia N (mg/L) COD (mg/L) BOD (mg/L) Dissolved O2 (mg/L) Location Name of Monitoring Location No. P.L. L1 L2 L3 L4 P.L. L1 L2 L3 L4 P.L. L1 L2 L3 L4 P.L. L1 L2 L3 L4 Sabarmati river at Hansaol bridge, Dist. Ahmedabad 1 1.01 0.95 - - - 17.67 11 - - - 2.14 1.2 - - - 7.54 8 - - - Lat- 23o 05’ 26’’ Long- 72o 37’ 47’’ River Sabarmati at Narayan Ghat 2 Lat- 23o 03’ 41’’ 0.7 0.5 - - - 17.7 15 - - - 2.1 1.9 - - - 7.7 8.12 - - - Long- 72o 35’ 16’’ Sabarmati at railway bridge, Ahmedabad, 3 0.8 0.73 - - - 18 14 - - - 2.3 1.85 - - - 7.7 8.2 - - - Lat- 23o 03’43’’ Long- 72o 35’ 22’’ River Sabarmati At- Gandhi Bridge 4 Lat- 23o 02’20’’ 0.93 0.67 - - - 21.67 15 - - - 2.39 1.98 - - - 7.74 7.9 - - - Long- 72o 34’ 26’’ Sabarmati at Ahmedabad at V.N.