Evaluación de la calidad del agua del Río Chambo en época de estiaje utilizando el índice de calidad del agua ICA-NSF.

Abstract

The problem of water sources in Ecuador is an environmental problem mainly due to wastewater discharges. This type of water pollution is related to the displacement of ecosystems but the issue is also health. The high amounts of organic and inorganic material dissolved in river f lows and their use in irrigated crops and watering can endanger human health. In the canton Chambo-Ecuador (height 2780 m), 12.95% of the total area is agricultural land and its source of irrigation is the Chambo river. The sewer network of this canton discharges its wastewater to the river without prior treatment. To determine the water conditions of this river, check the ICA NSF Water Quality Index. Analysis of physicochemical and microbiological laboratory analysis of river water, before and after wastewater discharges. The research is carried out during the dry season to know the water quality when there is less capacity for self-purification. The laboratory results and the weighting with the ICA NSF method, determined that the water of the Chambo river is of poor quality even before being contaminated with wastewater with a quality index of 45.40% determining that the river water is not Suitable to be used for crop irrigation.