WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF MATI RIVER USING WQI

Water pollution was viewed as crucial issue nowadays and if not properly managed and improved can threat human health, aquatic life as well as the environment. Aware of the importance of water quality, this study conducted to characterize the quality of Mati River, base on the Water Quality Index (WQI) calculation method. Water quality index is one of the most effective tools to monitor the surface as well as ground water pollution and can be used efficiently in the implementation of water quality upgrading programmes. WQI is a suitable tool to examine and classify spatial and temporal variations in water quality and pollution loads in a water body. WQI was calculated based on the six parameters which were; pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, total phosphorus and nitrate nitrogen. Five stations positioned along Mati River, are selected in the frame of this study, with a frequency of every two month during year 2010. According to the obtained results, the range of WQI index varied from 73.79 (station V) to 80.14 (station I), demonstrating slightly polluted water.