Water Quality Index (WQI) of Shitalakshya River Near Haripur Power Station, Narayanganj, Bangladesh

The present investigation is aimed at understanding the water quality parameters and the findings of a water quality index (WQI) to assess the characteristics of the Shitalakshya River near Haripur power station, Narayanganj for five different years (2013-2018) considering monsoon, pre-monsoon, post-monsoon seasonal variations. In this study, three different methods were used to evaluate the WQI named as; Weighted Arithmetic Index Method, Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) WQI Method and National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Method. Essential parameters i.e. dissolved oxygen, pH, chloride, turbidity, color, biochemical oxygen demand, total dissolved solids, Silica, Iron, electrical conductivity, Phosphate were considered for calculating the WQI. According to Weighted Arithmetic Index Method, the WQI value varied from 80 to 286 for the last five years. From the National Sanitation Foundation Method, the WQI value was found within 36 to 56 for the study duration. The WQI value was varied from 3 to 16 according to the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index Method. Based on WQI values, the Shitalakhya river water was being classified as poor water for the above-mentioned different years. Among the different parameters, mostly turbidity, electrical conductivity, TSS, Iron were the parameters that caused the situation worst. Journal of Engineering Science 12(3), 2021, 45-55

Evaluation of surface water quality using water quality indices (WQIs) in Lake Sukhna, Chandigarh, India

To assess the surface water quality of Sukhna Lake, 13 physico-chemical parameters like temperature, pH, transparency, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, total dissolved salts, chloride, total Aalkalinity, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, nitrate and phosphate were investigated on monthly basis for a period of two year (July 2016–June 2018) by using standard procedures. The results were compared with the values or ranges mentioned by standard organizations (WHO and BIS) for assessing the water quality and these revealed that the lake water was turbid and under DO distress. Various water quality indices like water quality index (WQI), Canadian Council Ministry of Environment (CCME)-WQI and comprehensive pollution index (CPI) were used to assess the water quality status in the Sukhna Lake. The range of WQI (59.74–83.49) indicated that the water quality status of the lake belonged to good category while those of CCME-WQI (52.4–81.61) revealed that water quality fallen from marginal to good category and those of CPI (0.4–0.7) indicated fair state of water in the lake. Overall the water quality in Sukhna Lake has been found deteriorated during second year in comparison the first year during the study time.

Roles, Responsibilities, and Rights: An Organisational Analysis of Provincial and Territorial Child and Youth Advocate Offices in Canada

Limited academic literature has explored the responsibilities of Provincial and Territorial Child and Youth Advocates in Canada. This paper analyses the responsibilities that constitute the role of Canadian Provincial and Territorial Child and Youth Advocates, as well as the forces that impact and shape these responsibilities. A total of 17 participants, including current and former members of the Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates (cccya) as well as their staff members are included in the study. Findings reveal that individual advocacy, systemic advocacy, investigations into critical injuries and child deaths, as well as educational outreach, constitute the primary responsibilities of the cccya. Additionally, at the provincial and territorial level, it is important for advocates to navigate the historical, cultural and political factors that inform discourses surrounding childhood as these factors impact the way advocacy is understood and carried out within these organisations.

Análisis y propuesta de mejoras de la calidad del agua del río Chimbo en la ciudad de Guaranda, provincia de Bolívar, Ecuador

El cantón Guaranda, capital de la Provincia de Bolívar, está ubicado en el centro andino del Ecuador; al sur del cantón se encuentra el rio Chimbo que nace a partir de la confluencia del río Guaranda y el Estero Suruhuaycu, conformando un límite natural con el resto de cantones. El río Chimbo actúa como cuerpo receptor de descargas cloacales de la población de la ciudad de Guaranda; en sus riberas se encuentra el Parque Recreacional Camilo Montenegro el cual se ha deteriorado en las últimas décadas. La evaluación diagnóstica y de mejoras de la calidad del agua de este curso superficial describen el objeto principal de estudio, así como el desarrollo de una propuesta de rehabilitación que permita mejorar y optimizar las características del parque recreativo; lo que conlleva al monitoreo de ciertos parámetros fisicoquímicos y microbiológicos del agua superficial, a la utilización de Índices de Calidad de Agua (ICA´s) como herramientas de análisis y al diseño de un Sistema de Tratamiento de Aguas Residuales. En la presente investigación se realizó en el periodo febrero – julio del 2019 un monitoreo mensual en cinco puntos de muestreo establecidos desde la naciente del rio Chimbo hasta las afueras del cantón; una vez obtenidos los resultados de los monitoreos, se aplicaron tres ICA´s (el Índice de la Fundación Nacional de Saneamiento de USA,1970); el Índice de DINIUS,1987 y el Índice de Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME), 2001)considerando como prioridad el uso recreativo del recurso hídrico; y resultando un valor medio de calidad global, lo cual indica una afectación antrópica del cuerpo de agua. Asimismo, a partir de los resultados de los monitoreos y en base a la Normativa Ecuatoriana, se diseñó un tratamiento de aguas residuales adaptado a las características del cuerpo de agua, enfocado en el área del Parque Recreacional; para esto se propuso una Trampa de Grasa ya que este es el parámetro que se encuentra fuera de normativa para el Uso Recreativo Mediante Contacto Secundario. Por otra parte, se realizó una Valoración Social del Parque Recreacional a través de encuestas, lo cual evidenció que se trata de un patrimonio valorado positivamente por los habitantes de la ciudad, teniendo un alto potencial turístico, contrarrestado a su vez por la mala calidad del agua del rio y el mal manejo de la infraestructura del mismo; en este sentido se propuso una optimización de su infraestructura a partir del planteo de cuatro áreas (comercial, recreativo, educativo y cultural). Esta investigación sienta las bases para futuros proyectos y brinda una mejora a la dinámica de la ciudad y a la calidad de vida de sus habitantes.

Suitability Evaluation of CCME-WQI and GWQI for the Modeling of Groundwater and Human Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals - Eastern India

The present study assessed the suitability of groundwater by using the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCME-WQI) and the Groundwater Water Quality Index (GWQI) Model. Six heavy metals viz. arsenic (As), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), and Nickel (Ni) were investigated in the groundwater from 65 locations of Ranchi city by the Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The spatial distribution of WQI was established by Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation technique using ArcGIS 10.3. The mystery of hydrogeochemical evolution in groundwater was elucidated by plotting the Piper trilinear diagram of major cations (Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+, K+) and anions (HCO3-, Cl-, SO42-, F-). Significant fluctuations in the water level during PRM (7.38mbgl to 10.5 mbgl) and POM (4.3- 6.4 mbgl) season were observed in the central part of the study area. Performance evaluation of WQI models indicated that the CCMEWQI performed better than GWQI for assessing the quality index of groundwater with a comparatively higher coefficient value (R2 0.97) and less NMSE (4.34) RMSE (27.38), MAPE (0.357). The health risk of heavy metals via the oral route was investigated by calculating hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI). The HI value was observed maximum for As followed by Mn >Pb > Ni >Fe >Cu for adults and children. The spatial distribution map of HI indicated that most of the studies area are at a non-carcinogenic risk of heavy metals. The study provides immense help for water authorities and public health decision-makers to prevent the community's health risk.

Evaluation of Al-Thagher Wastewater Treatment Plant

This study aims to evaluate the performance of the sewage treatment plant in Al-Thagher city, in the north of Basrah governorate, the southern part of Iraq. The plant’s performance was estimated based on an analysis of influent and effluent wastewater quality data that represented the monthly averages from Feb. 2017 to Dec. 2018. The results show that the values of temperature (T), pH, ammonia (NH3–N), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) in all collected samples from the effluent of the plant met the Iraqi water quality standard (IWQS), whereas the values of electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), sulfate (SO4–2), chloride (Cl–1) and phosphate (PO4–P) met the Iraqi water quality standard (IWQS) in some months and did not meet the standard in other months. The average removal efficiencies were in the following order: COD (77.12%) > BOD (77.03%) > TSS (62.26%) > NH3–N (59.99%) > PO4–P (12.42%) > Cl–1 (1.97%). The removal percentages for the remaining parameters had negative values. The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment water quality index (CCME WQI) value of the treated water was 51.80 and classified as “marginal.” The coefficients of determination between each parameter in influent or effluent were calculated. Finally, linear regression equations between these parameters were formulated so that the value of one parameter could be used to predict the value of a different parameter.

Assessment of the water and sediments quality around the coastal submarine sewage outfall in Guarujá, São Paulo, Brazil

The discharge of domestic sewage is one of the most common types of marine pollution, namely through submarine outfalls. In this study, water and sediments of the coastal submarine sewage outfall in Guarujá, São Paulo, Brazil were assessed during the high (January) and low (April) tourist seasons in 2018. The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environmental Water Quality Index (CCMEWQI) showed a “marginal” water quality, in both seasons, where dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, oil and greases, ammonia, surfactants, aluminium, lead, copper, nickel, Escherichia coli and Enterococci showed potential ecological risks. However, no mutagenic potential was detected in the complex mixture (Ames Salmonella/microsome test: MI<2), and no protozoa and Salmonella bacteria were found. In the sediment, a total of 25 benthic taxa were inventoried, suggesting that the macrofauna is not under contamination stress. Cadmium, lead, copper, chromium, nickel and zinc were below the Threshold Effect Level, and the Geoaccumulation Index was <0. Furthermore, the absence of acute toxicity to the test organism Kalliapseudes schubartii (EC50: 96h) and the Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H’: 2.5 to 3.5 bits/ind) suggests healthy or unpolluted environments. However, the deviation of some environmental indicators suggests the need of continuous monitoring based on field measurements.

AN EVALUATION OF WATER QUALITY INDEX VARIATION IN DOMESTIC DRINKING WATER RESERVOIRS

This study investigates the variation in water quality parameters due to short term storage in reservoirs in north-east Nigeria. The objective of the study is to determine the water quality, testing selected vital parameters and determining the DWQI of the samples from selected water sources and their respective reservoirs. The World Health Organization (WHO), as well as the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) standards of water quality test and drinking water quality indices, were adopted. Samples were collected at both source and reservoir from five different points in the same area. The quality of water was analyzed in order to determine the variation in water quality and drinking water quality indices when stored over time in a storage system. The result of the quality test revealed that the level of all the parameters were within the limit set by WHO except that of Iron and Manganese which were slightly above the standard limits. The correlated variables revealed that a very strong relationship exists between all the samples with the highest R2 as 0.99 and the lowest R2 as 0.94. The drinking water quality indices were found to be good for all samples with an index value of 88.45%. This study strongly recommends further investigation as well as regular monitoring of the drinking water quality in the area.

Water Quality Assessment of Paper Mills Effluent Discharge Areas

The study attempted to assess the water quality around paper mill effluents discharge areas. Several physicochemical parameters and the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) Water Quality Index (WQI) were considered to determine the pollution level of surface and groundwater in the selected paper mills areas located in Saidpur, Gobindaganj, and Dupchanchia Upazilas of Bangladesh. Physicochemical characterization of the surface water around the paper mills areas showed that the concentration of EC, TSS, BOD5, COD, phenols, NO3−-N, and K+were exceeded the surface water standard, whereas the DO level ranged from 1.63 to 3.5 were found below the Environmental Conservation Rules (ECR), 1997 standard. Besides, the BOD, COD, and Mn ion concentrations of groundwater exceeded the drinking water standard. In most sampling sites, the WQI of the surface water showed ‘marginal’ category, and the groundwater quality showed 'fair' category. The study observed that the toxic effluents discharged from the paper mills caused harm to the aquatic ecosystem.