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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Environ. Sci.
Sec. Water and Wastewater Management
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2024.1487469
This article is part of the Research Topic Advancement in Hydrological Modeling and Water Resources Management for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) View all 9 articles

Spatial Variation in Water Quality of the Burhi Gandak River: A Multi-Location Assessment

Provisionally accepted
Akash Priyadarshee Akash Priyadarshee 1Atul K. Rahul Atul K. Rahul 1,2*Vijay Kumar Vijay Kumar 1Ashish Kumar Ashish Kumar 1
  • 1 Department of Civil Engineering, MIT Muzaffarpur, Bihar 842003, India, Muzaffarpur, India
  • 2 Atul Kumar Rahul, Muzaffarpur, India

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The Burhi Gandak River, a significant tributary of the Ganga River and a vital water source in Bihar, India, faces critical water quality degradation due to rapid population growth, urbanization, and industrial activities. This study conducts a detailed water quality assessment of the river, focusing on the effects of these anthropogenic factors across different locations, seasons, and industrial zones. Water samples were collected and analyzed for key parameters, including pH, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Hardness (TH), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), and Dissolved Oxygen (DO). Results indicate significant spatial and temporal variations, with water quality deteriorating notably in areas like Samastipur and Khagaria, where industrial and urban activities are more concentrated. For instance, BOD levels increased from 7.5 mg/l to 9.5 mg/l as the river flows through urban Samastipur, signaling a decline in water quality. Additionally, sugar mills located along the river contribute to higher pollution levels during operational months, especially in Lauria and Sagauli. Seasonal analysis shows that the lean season experiences the highest levels of degradation, while monsoon floods increase suspended solids due to sediment inflow. These findings emphasize the urgent need for improved regulation of industrial discharge and urban waste management to protect the water quality of the Burhi Gandak River and the livelihoods dependent on it.

    Keywords: Water Quality, Urbanization, Industrialization, Budhi Gandak, Ganga

    Received: 28 Aug 2024; Accepted: 28 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Priyadarshee, Rahul, Kumar and Kumar. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Atul K. Rahul, Atul Kumar Rahul, Muzaffarpur, India

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