Minería y Geología (Mar 2021)
Evaluation of Water Quality Index in Cabaña River, Moa-Cuba
Abstract
Quality of surface waters is generally affected by discharges of domestic and industrial waste that alter their physical, chemical and bacteriological properties, rendering them unfit for consumption. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the water quality of Cabaña River (Moa, Holguín) by applying the surface water quality index proposed by Montoya. For analyzing the physical-chemical and bacteriological compositions of water, 20 sampling sites were selected in 2017-2018 stage in two moments: rainy and dry seasons. A water quality index was calculated for each site and sampling date. It was found evaluated indicators exceed the values established by national and international standards and the water quality decreases as the river travels the path of its channel from the upper zone to the lower zone of the sub-basin. Results show that quality of water decreases in the same sense that river travels its path from the upper zone to the lower zone of the sub-basin. It was determined that a large part of the river's pollutant load comes from industrial and domestic waste and sewer discharges, which cause a decrease in the river's self-purification capacity due to their magnitude.
