Author(s): Rosalva Mendoza Ramirez; Karina Suarez Alcantara; Rodolfo Silva Casarin; Ramon Dominguez Mora; Anibal Sol Benitez; Eliseo Carrizosa Elizondo

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Keywords: Water quality index; Endorheic basin; Water treatment

Abstract: This paper analyses the water quality index (WQI) at 5 sampling sites in Lake Zirahuen, Michoacan, Mexico: 4 in the water body and 1 in the El Silencio River, the main surface tributary of the lake. Information taken from public databases from the years 2012 to 2020 was analysed. The lake is located in an endorheic basin and is one of three water bodies of this type in the state of Michoacan that maintains a moderately healthy condition. In early 2015, the Santa Clara del Cobre wastewater treatment plant came into operation. It was intended to prevent the discharge of raw sewage into the El Silencio River and thus into the lake. To determine whether this plant has improved the water quality of the lake, we calculated the WQI at 5 sites, following the National Sanitation Foundation methodology, which uses 9 physical and chemical parameters with different weightings. Preliminary results, comparing the years before and after the treatment plant installation, do not show a significant change in the WQI of the lake or the river. The WQI in the lake has “poor” and “fair” qualifications on the classification scale. In the El Silencio River sampling site, the same results as in the lake were found. Although the WQI in the river showed values of "good" in 2013. With the results obtained in this study, we hope that decision-makers will adjust the policy of river basin management.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3850/978-90-833476-1-5_iahr40wc-p0041-cd

Year: 2023