Assessment of water quality indices for human consumption and their comparison

Abstract

The water quality was determined from water quality parameters and Brown, Dinius, Dinius Second and Said indices were applied to evaluate the drinking water from the municipality of Villa Guerrero, México. Water samples were collected in both raining and dry seasons from nine sampling stations during 2022 and 18 parameters were analyzed: biochemical oxygen demand, total dissolved solids, the concentration of hydrogen ions, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, phosphates, nitrate nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen, chlorides, total hardness, specific conductivity, total acidity, total alkalinity, total coliform, fecal coliform, color, temperature and total solids. The indices indicated in general that the water of this region is suitable for human consumption, although its quality depended on the index used in the determination, because each index considers different parameters and weightages assigned to each one. The results show the importance of monitoring the water quality and the comparison of the results obtained from different indices indicated the effects of external factors that may alter its quality and help the authorities to take the right decisions to improve it.