Appraising the Water Pollution Index of an Estuarial Environment

Abstract

The WPI is an important tool to summarize a large number of water quality data into simple terms which is one of the most effective ways to interrelate information on water quality trends. The information generated can help to guide policy makers on effective restoration, conservation and management of water resources. In this technique the weightage for various water quality parameters is assigned to be inversely proportional to the recommended standards for the corresponding parameters. Estuaries represent productive aquatic habitats and are characterized by dynamic biogeochemical processes. Water quality loss in estuaries is, therefore, one of the worst forms of water pollution. For the analysis of water parameters, the water samples were collected and preserved in pre-rinsed plastic bottles at monthly intervals during June 2011–May 2013 for the period of two years from the Dumas vicinity of Tapi estuary. Temperature and pH were analyzed in situ and other parameters were analyzed as per standard references. The WPI in the studied area in the first year ranged between 1.2334 to 7.8266 whereas it varied from 1.797 to 6.439 in second year of the study. The higher value of WPI was observed during the month of December and January in the first year and in the month of December in the second year indicating high polluted nature of the estuary. The overall study revealed the polluted nature of the water ranging from mild to severe during different months in the studied area. It was observed that estuarine environment was polluted by the impact of anthropogenic as well as industrial activities. This study is important as understanding the ecological status of the estuarine habitats is imperative for successful environmental management and sustainable development.