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Journal of Water Pollution & Purification Research Original Research

Assessment of Water Quality Deterioration in Sacred Ponds of Varanasi: Impact of Urbanization, and Pollution

  1. Mandakini Gupta Department of Chemistry, Sunbeam Women’s College, Varuna, Varanasi
  2. Adeeti Rai Department of Botany, Sunbeam Women’s College, Varuna, Varanasi,
  3. AnjaliYadav Department of Chemistry, Sunbeam Women’s College, Varuna, Varanasi
  4. Ritu Singh Department of Botany, Sunbeam Women’s College, Varuna, Varanasi
  5. Rishi Sahu Department of Botany, Sunbeam Women’s College, Varuna, Varanasi
  6. Samta Singh Department of Chemistry, K.S. Saket P.G. College, Ayodhya

Abstract

Water scarcity, pollution, political unrest, and population growth have made it imperative to manage water resources, including surface water, responsibly in the twenty-first century. The ponds deteriorate due to development, urbanization, and the burden of many polluting sources. Varanasi had roughly 110 pounds and kunds in the 1980s; today, there are only 56. The physical and chemical quality parameters of five significant sacred ponds that have existed in Varanasi from ancient times are examined in this paper during the academic year 2012–2013. The primary water quality indicators that were looked at were temperature, pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), acidity, hardness, nitrate, phosphate, dissolved oxygen (DO), and biochemistry. The findings of the experiment indicate that the levels of nitrate (52 mg/L), BOD (2.5 mg/L), TDS (2420 mg/L), and phosphate (7.5 mg/L) were significantly higher than the allowable limit of the water quality standard for drinking and irrigation (BIS, IS-10500, FAO). Out of the five ponds, the water quality at the Durga Kund, Lahartara, and Adityanagar sites is unacceptable, particularly in terms of human health, biotic life, and the ecosystem as a whole. The investigation of the catchment region to determine the primary cause of the decline in the quality of the water in these ponds has shown a number of ritualistic practices, municipal wastewater, washing discharge of temple effluents, and animal wastes.

Keywords

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