Applying a water quality index model to assess the water quality of the major rivers in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Abstract

Human activities during recent decades have led to increased degradation of the river water environment in South Asia. This degradation has led to concerns for the populations of the major cities of Nepal, including those of the Kathmandu Valley. The deterioration of the rivers in the valley is directly linked to the prevalence of poor sanitary conditions, as well as the presence of industries that discharge their effluents into the river. This study aims to investigate the water quality aspect for the aquatic ecosystems and recreation of the major rivers in the Kathmandu Valley using the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment water quality index (CCME WQI). Ten physicochemical parameters were used to determine the CCME WQI at 20 different sampling locations. Analysis of the data indicated that the water quality in rural areas ranges from excellent to good, whereas in denser settlements and core urban areas, the water quality is poor. The study results are expected to provide policy-makers with valuable information related to the use of river water by local people in the study area.

Identification of Human and Animal Fecal Contamination in Drinking Water Sources in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, Using Host-Associated Bacteroidales Quantitative PCR Assays

“…The Kathmandu Valley, with an area of 664 km 2 and a population of 2.51 million [31], primarily consists of three major land covers: built-up (116 km 2 ), agriculture/open space (265 km 2 ), and forest/shrub (215 km 2 ) [32,33]. The land cover used in this study has been adapted from Uddin et al (2015) [32].…”

Presence of Human Enteric Viruses, Protozoa, and Indicators of Pathogens in the Bagmati River, Nepal

“…The lack of molecular diagnostic laboratories in Nepal means that human enteric viruses are not commonly diagnosed from environmental and clinical samples at the national level. Although several studies have assessed the water quality of the Bagmati River [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 12 ], few have analyzed the microbiological aspect of water quality with respect to the presence of enteric viruses, protozoa, and bacteria [ 7 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. The available data regarding pathogen contamination in the Bagmati River and its impacts on health and the community are limited.…”

Assessment of Water Quality Profile Using Numerical Modeling Approach in Major Climate Classes of Asia

“…Similarly, DO rate is declining in all climatic classes except cold climatic region. From this finding, it can be agreed that water quality is a function of both water natural climate as well as anthropogenic activities [ 13 , 14 , 15 ].…”

“…Accordingly, a deterioration of water quality has been observed in a number of studies on the influence of water quality due to climate change, particularly on water pollutants and their physio-chemical characteristics—such as DO, total suspended solid (TSS), ammonia (NH 3 ), and turbidity—within the changing hydrometeorological ecosystems [ 11 , 12 , 13 ]. Surface water quality has a diverse pattern of variations and it is not only a function of climate but also urbanization through anthropogenic activities [ 13 , 14 , 15 ].…”