Ecological well-being of water sources as a factor of an industrial city sustainable development

Abstract

In this article a “well-being” degree of the water supply source of a major industrial center (Chelyabinsk, Russia) is determined in compliance with criteria of the sustainable development goal 6 “Clean water and sanitation” (SDG 6). It is demonstrated that the Shershnevskoye reservoir corresponds to the main water quality indicators recommended by the SDG 6 and is the “good-quality” water body according to the national standards for maximum permissible concentrations for drinking water use during the entire period of the reservoir existence. The dynamics of pH level, mineralization, dissolved oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and heavy metals content in the water of the reservoir for the period from 1975 to 2020 was analyzed. Stable neutral-alkaline conditions in the reservoir water were revealed; a statistically significant decrease of mineralization, increase of dissolved oxygen content and a strong trend of mineral phosphorus growth are observed, which characterizes strengthening of photosynthetic processes and increase of productivity and anthropogenic eutrophication level of the water body. The risk factor for the reservoir ecological well-being is heavy metal content, especially iron, manganese and copper.