Water Quality Index of Babolrood River in Mazandaran, Iran

ABSTRACT: Water quality parameters of 7 different water stations along the Babolrood River were collected to determine its water quality according to water quality index (WQI). Six most important parameters pH, total dissolved solids, dissolves oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand; electrical conductivity and temperature difference were considered for WQI. The WQI was assessed using a weighted arithmetic index method and National Sanitation Foundation method (NSF). According to the arithmetic mean method WQI values vary between 38 and 88, wherein NSF Method WQI values vary between 48 and 80. In weighted arithmetic index method highest favorable value gives a low statistical value to the index whereas lowest favorable value gives a low statistical value to the index in NSF method. The values of the WQI showed that the water of the maximum stations are poor and very poor in condition, few of them can be referred to as good, and among all water stations only one of the stations Id (S1) contains good water quality parameter for human consumption and other uses.The results revealed that although WQI of most of the stations are beyond acceptable limit but could be used for domestic and household purpose after purification.