Assessment of Water Quality of Tigris River and branch in Alkut City by using Water Quality Index (WQIA)

Abstract

Our water quality continues to be negatively impacted by human activities, this is a global problem of critical importance (particularly concerning fresh water and human consumption). Since the 1960s, the critical water quality index (WQI) technique has been used to assess the worldwide water quality state of surface water and groundwater systems. Plans for water resource management must consider extensive data and knowledge about the quality of available water. Water quality indicators are a straightforward technical method for evaluating the state of a river's water quality. In this approach, many water quality characteristics are examined and interpreted in research on river water quality. It can be considered the most important parts of monitoring plans for river quality. In this study, a monitoring plan is achieved for three different stations located on Tigris and branch rivers Al-Dujaili and Al-Gharraf in Wasit/ Kut during the study period for eight weeks from 1/3/2022 to 1/5/2022. Water quality assessment has been conducted using arithmetic quality indices of general water used for drinking and agricultural consumption. It is where the qualitative indices are turned into a single number with no units. Classifying water quality is done by comparing the values ​​of the indices to a scale of ratings that have already been set up. In this study, It has been utilized the Water Quality Index. The following physical and chemical factors are used to determine the water quality index: pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, biological oxygen demand (BOD5), nitrate (NO3), sulphate (SO4), chloride (Cl), and phosphate (PO4). The results showed that each station had a low rating for the water quality index The average readings for the Tigris River were 187.44, Al-Dujaili 211.49 and Al-Gharaf 255.85, showing that Tigris River and its branches' water is seriously polluted for aquatic life due to the discharge of insufficiently treated wastewater from Kut's residential neighbourhoods.