TITLE:
Evaluation of Water Quality Index in Lerma River Upper Basin
AUTHORS:
Icela D. Barceló-Quintal, Mónica L. Salazar-Peláez, Julisa García-Albortante, Eloisa Domínguez-Mariani, Ulrico J. López-Chuken, Sergio Gómez-Salazar
KEYWORDS:
Water Quality Index; Lerma River Upper Basin; BOD5; Nitrates; Phosphates
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.4 No.7A,
July
17,
2013
ABSTRACT:
The Lerma River Upper Basin is located
between Almoloya del Rio shallow lakes and Atlacomulco Municipality in the
State of Mexico; is a natural resource essential to human activities in its
surroundings and serves as a source of electricity and drinking water for
Mexico City. However, this river is threatened by over-exploitation of its
aquifers, disappearance of many of its wellsprings and uncontrolled discharges
of wastewater from all sorts. Thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate the
water quality in the Upper Lerma River Basin using WQI proposed by the NSF and
compare these results with those obtained by the National Water Commission of
Mexico (CNA). WQI was calculated using seven parameters: dissolved oxygen, pH,
DOB5, temperature change, total phosphates, nitrates, and total
solids obtained in four different sampling campaigns carried out in 2005, 2006
and 2012. The results showed that water quality in the Upper Lerma River is
bad, mainly associated with high levels of BOD5, nitrates and
phosphates found. The results obtained with WQI yielded the same diagnosis that
the studies carried out by the CNA, in which water quality was unacceptable. It
is worth noting that there is a significant water quality deterioration in the
Upper Lerma River Basin with the course of the years, because in 2012 were
observed the lower index values regarding 2005 and 2006, so it is imperative to
implement measures to restore and preserve the water quality of this important
river.