1.

0 INTRODUCTION

Water is an essential requirement of human life and activities associated with industry,
agriculture, and others, and it considers one of the most delicate parts of the environment. A
Water Quality Index (WQI) is a means by which water quality data is summarized for
reporting to the public in a consistent manner. It is similar to the UV index or an air quality
index and it tells us, in simple terms, what the quality of drinking water is from a drinking
water supply The quality of surface and groundwater is identified in terms of its physical,
chemical, and biological parameters. The water quality of rivers is characterized by a high
level of heterogeneity in time and space, because of the distinction of cover-land around. This
often creates difficulties to identify water conditions and pollution sources, which is
necessary to control effectively pollution in addition to construct successful strategies for
minimizing of contamination resources. Study of surface water pollution of the river is
important due to effluents from municipal sewage, livestock wastewater, industries,
agricultural activities, and urban runoff which discharge into the river resulting in extensive
variations in the water quality.

The major pollutants in Malaysian’s rivers and lakes are Biochemical Oxygen Demand
(BOD), Ammonical Nitrogen (NH3-N) and Suspended Solid (SS). High BOD is contributed
largely by untreated or partially treated sewage from manufacturing andagro-based industries.
The main sources of NH3-N are domestic sewage, livestock farming and other liquid organic
waste products, whilst the sources for suspended solid are mostly earthworks and land
clearing activities which the removal is generally achieved through the use of sedimentation
and/or water filters.
 Table 1.0 Water Quality Rating as per Weight Arithmetic Water Quality Index
Method

1.1 Objective
 To identify the water quality of water resources from the lake nearby the G3
buildings.

1.2 Selection Of Parameter

Based on the Water Quality Index for the assessment of water quality, it can
describe by three selection of parameter which are physical, chemical and
biological parameter. In this study, WQI can be determined on the basis of various
physico-chemical paramteres:
a) Physical parameter
 Turbidity of water
 Temperature of water
b) Chemical parameter
 pH value
 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
 Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
 Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
  Ammonia
 Total Suspended Solid (TSS).

c) Biological parameter
 Plant indicator
 Animal indicator
 Microbial indicator
 Macro invertebrate bio indicator

Parameter Unit class

I II III IV V
Ammoniacal Mgl <0.1 0.1-0.3 0.3-0.9 0.9-2.7 >2.7
nitrogen
Biochemical Oxygen Mgl <1 1-3 3-6 6-12 >12
Demand
Chemical Oxygen Mgl <10 10-25 25-50 50-100 >100
Demand
Dissolved Oxygen Mgl >7 5-7 3-5 1-3 <1
pH - >7 6-7 5-6 <5 >5
Total suspended solid Mgl <25 25-50 50-150 150-300 >300
Water Quality Index <92.7 76.5-92.7 51.9-76.5 31.0-51.9 <31.0

Table 1.2 DOE Water Quality Index Classification

Class Uses
Class I Conservation of natural environment
Water supply I – Practically no treatment necessary
Fishery I – very sensitive aquatic species
Class IIA Water supply II – Conventional treatment
Fishery II – Sensitive aquatic species

Class IIB Recreational use body contact

Class III Water Supply III – Extensive treatment required
Fishery III – Common, of economic value and tolerant species,
livestock drinking
Class IV Irrigation
Class V None of the above

Table 1.3 Water Classes and Uses

SUB INDEX & INDEX RANGE

CLEAN SLIGHTLY POLLUTED
WATER QUALITY
POLLUTED
INDEX
Biochemical Oxygen 91-100 80-90 0-79
Demand (BOD)
Ammoniacal 92-100 71-91 0-70
Nitrogen (NH3-N)
Suspended Solids 76-100 70-75 0-69
(SS)
Water Quality Index 81-100 60-80 0-59
(WQI)

Table 1.4 DOE Water Quality Classification Based On Water Quality Index

Table 1.5: WQI formula

Table 1.6: Best fit equations for the estimation of various sub index values