Physical, Chemical and Bacteriological Study of Water from Rivers of Uttarakhand

This study carried out in the month of April-June (2009) for which five rivers were chosen i.e. Alaknanda (A), Bhagirathi (B), Ganga (G), Mandakini (M) and Yamuna (Y). Water samples were collected from nine monitoring stations viz. Devprayag (2), Gangotri (1), Haridwar (2), Rudraprayag (2), Dakpathar (1) and Yamunotri (1). The samples were analyzed for physical, chemical and microbiological parameters. The sample temperatures ranged from 7.8 - 280C, pH from 7.02 - 8.16, turbidity from 1-15 NTU, DO from 6.3 – 10 mg/l and BOD from 1.4 - 4.5 mg/l. The rivers at Gangotri and Yamunotri showed nil BOD. COD ranged from 2.9 - 34.2 mg/L, total alkalinity from 32-118 mg/l and total hardness from 42 - 194 mg/L. All samples showed permissible limit except samples of Haridwar. All samples were positive for E. coli, which indicates fecal pollution of water. The result showed that Brahma Kund in Haridwar, a famous tourist places, is most polluted.