V.A. PATIL, K.N. GHOTKULE AND D.M. MAHAJAN
Abstract
Water quality assessment is essential for safeguarding public health and maintaining ecological balance (Singh et al., 2021). The present study combines observations from the origin and confluence zones of the Indrayani River in Pune district, Maharashtra, India. Physico-chemical parameters such as temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), hardness, chloride, nitrate, phosphate, alkalinity, and turbidity were analyzed and compared with BIS and WHO drinking water standards (WHO, 2022). Results revealed that the origin station exhibited comparatively better water quality with low pollution load and higher dissolved oxygen levels, while the confluence station showed increased nutrient enrichment, organic pollution, and turbidity due to anthropogenic activities (Kumar and Sharma, 2020). The study indicates that water at the origin station is suitable for drinking after conventional treatment, whereas water at the confluence station requires proper purification before domestic use. Continuous monitoring and management strategies are recommended to preserve the river ecosystem and ensure sustainable water quality (UNEP, 2021).