Changes in water quality index of different Ghats of Ganges River in Patna

In this study, we have determined the Water Quality Index (WQI) of monsoon season water samples of
River Ganges. The main aim is to assess changes in Ganges River at various Ghats in Patna city including
Krishna Ghat, Gandhi Ghat, Rani Ghat, Kadam Ghat and Gai Ghat. For this, the physicochemical
parameters such as pH, Electrical Conductivity, Total Dissolved Solids, Dissolved Oxygen, Chloride
content, Total Hardness, Alkalinity, Total Solid, Suspended Solid, Dissolved Solid and Biochemical
Oxygen Demand (BOD) were analyzed by standard processes. The values obtained were then compared
with the guideline values of drinking water by Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) and World Health
Organization (WHO). From the measured quantities, certain parameters were selected to derive WQI for
the variations in water quality of each designated sampling site. WQI of Ganges river water at Patna city
ranged from 50.32 to 59.62 which fall in the range of poor quality of water. It is shown that WQI may be a
useful tool for assessing water quality and predicting trend of variation in water quality at different
locations in the Ganges River.