In the heart of Odisha, the Brahmani River, the second-largest watershed in the state, is facing an uphill battle against pollution. A recent study published in the journal *Scientific Reports* (translated to English as “Scientific Reports”) has shed light on the river’s water quality, offering insights that could shape future water management strategies, particularly for the energy sector.
Led by Abhijeet Das from the Department of Civil Engineering at C.V. Raman Global University (CGU), the research employed a sophisticated blend of methods to assess the river’s water quality. The team collected water samples from seven stations along the Brahmani River during the monsoon season over four years, from 2020 to 2024. They utilized Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques to map the distribution of surface water quality in relation to land use patterns.
The study incorporated a hybrid approach, combining the Weighted Arithmetic (WA) Water Quality Index (WQI), Synthetic Pollution Index (SPI), Nemerow Pollution Index (NPI), Overall Index of Pollution (OIP), and multivariate statistical methods like Factor Analysis (FA) or Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Additionally, they employed Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approaches such as Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS) to evaluate the water’s suitability for consumption.
“The goal was to provide a comprehensive assessment of the water quality and its suitability for drinking and irrigation,” Das explained. The research revealed that the water quality was significantly influenced by toxic heavy metals, nutrients, and microorganisms. The WA-WQI values ranged between 49 and 72, indicating that four of the seven sites were unsuitable for drinking and irrigation due to long-term wastewater use, anthropogenic activities, over-extraction of surface water, and changes in land use patterns.
The study identified two primary pollution sources through PCA, accounting for 89% of the total variance in the dataset. The first component highlighted parameters like TDS, EC, alkalinity, and various ions, indicating organic and hazardous contamination. The EDAS scores further revealed that nitrogen was a major pollutant, primarily from local anthropogenic sources.
The findings underscore the urgent need for effective control of point source pollution and upper river ecological restoration to improve water quality and protect the reservoir. “This research identifies key research gaps and proposes future directions for developing transparent, adaptive, and accurate models,” Das noted. The outcomes can guide researchers and policymakers in developing smart water quality management systems that enhance decision-making and ecological sustainability.
For the energy sector, understanding and managing water quality is crucial, as many energy production processes rely on water resources. The insights from this study could inform better water management practices, ensuring sustainable operations and minimizing environmental impact. As the energy sector continues to evolve, integrating such advanced water quality assessment methods could become a cornerstone of responsible and efficient energy production.
The research published in *Scientific Reports* not only highlights the current state of the Brahmani River but also paves the way for future developments in water quality management. By addressing the identified gaps and leveraging advanced technologies, stakeholders can work towards a more sustainable and resilient water future.