Testing for Lake Water Quality: What are the parameters that we should check for

If you are trying to rejuvenate a lake and want to know more about what parameters to test for, you can use this blog as a reference. Lakes in Bangalore are often polluted with sewage inflows, industrial effluents and catchment runoffs. To better understand the water quality of the lake is, we have created 4 categories

(A) The basic parameters

(B) Industrial effluents

(C) Pesticides

(D) Testing for the first time

(A) The basic parameters that need to be tested for in a lake area:

1. pH
2. BOD
3. DO
4. TDS
5. TSS

6. Secchi Disk

7. Chlorophyll a

8. Nitrates
9. Phosphates
10. Total Coliform Bacteria
11. Free Ammonia

(B) If industrial effluents are being discharged into the lake, the additional parameters that need to be tested for are listed below. The general standards for discharge of effluents, can be accessed through the following link: http://cpcb.nic.in/industry-effluent-standards/

1. Arsenic
2. Cadmium
3. Mercury
4. Zinc
5. Chromium
6. Lead
7. Nickel
8. Iron
9. Copper

(C) If there is possible contamination from pesticides, the additional parameters that need to be tested for are:

1. Alpha BHC
2. Beta BHC
3. Gamma BHC
4. OP-DDT
5. PP-DDT
6. Alpha Endosulphan
7. Beta Endosulphan
8. Aldrin
9. Dieldrin
10. 2,4-D
11. Carbonyl
12. Malathion
13. Methyl Parathion
14. Anilophos
15. Chloropyriphos

(D) If you are testing the water quality for the first time 

We recommend doing a complete potability test according to the drinking water standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS 10500) It can be accessed through the following link: http://cgwb.gov.in/Documents/WQ-standards.pdf

Testing Labs in Bangalore

The cost for water quality testing could vary anywhere from Rs 1,500 to Rs 15,000 depending on the parameters being tested. For more accurate information contact a water quality testing lab and mention you want to test lake water quality, they will send you the list of parameters that they can test in their lab and the respective quotation. Listed below are some of the testing labs in Bangalore along with its links and contact information.

Lab Name	Location	Contact Information
Ramaiah Advanced Testing Laboratory	New BEL road	98441 68829
Eurofins	Whitefield	74114 39839
Incepbio	JP Nagar	080 2658 9777
Nexus Test Lab	Mahadevpura	96869 77009
Bangalore Test House	Rajajinagar	080 2350 2684
Hindustan Analytical and Testing Lab	Kempegowda Layout	91523 22165
SLN Testing Laboratory	Laggere	95388 88098
Merieux NutriSciences	Rajajinagar	080- 23356415
Essen & Co	Peenya	080- 2839 2230

Surface Water Quality Standards

Testing the above mentioned parameters will tell you what the quality of the lake water is but to know what standard it needs to meet depends on the end use of the water. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India defines water quality from the users point of view as ‘the physical, biological and chemical characteristics of water by which the user evaluates the acceptability of water’. Based on the primary water quality criteria CPCB has classified surface water into 5 classes (based on the expected end use), as shown below in Image 1.

 

Image 1: Classes of Surface Water

To use the lake water as a source of drinking water it needs to meet Class A or C standards, similarly to use the lake water for propagation of wildlife and fisheries it needs to meet Class D standards. As per data collected by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, most lakes in Bangalore are classified as D or E. To know more about the different standards as per IS-2296 refer to Table 9.1 in the following link https://elibrarywcl.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/surface-water-quality-standards-as-per-is-2296.pdf

References:

Guidelines for Water Quality Monitoring by Central Pollution Control Board
http://cpcb.nic.in/openpdffile.php?id=UmVwb3J0RmlsZXMvTmV3SXRlbV8xMTZfR3VpZGVsaW5lc29mIHdhdGVycXVhbGl0eW1vbml0b3JpbmdfMzEuMDcuMDgucGRm

Lakes Water Samples Classification by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board

https://www.kspcb.gov.in/Lakes-Apr-2018-September-18.pdf

Water quality parameters and the importance of each

https://www.epa.ie/pubs/advice/water/quality/Water_Quality.pdf