Abstract: The physico-chemical characteristics of Hooghly river water and
drain water falling in the same river have been studied. Five sampling stations
namely, Bataghat (BATA), Bagkhal (BAGK), Baromandir ghat (BARO), Ghoshpara
(GHOS), and Sakherbazar ghat (SAKH) are situated in highly populated as well as
industrial belt of West Bengal, India. Sampling was done between November 2009
and June 2010 to measure transparency, dissolved oxygen, free carbon dioxide,
pH, alkalinity, hardness, calcium, magnesium and salinity. Alkalinity at
Bataghat river water and Baghkhal sewage water almost maintained more than
desirable limit (IS: 200 mg l^{-1}) and other places maintained high alkalinity
during winter. pH was almost acidic which was not desirable (IS: 6.5 to 8.5).
Though dissolved oxygen maintained a desirable limit in river water, but free
carbon dioxide was very high almost throughout the study period. Hardness
reached upto 360 mg l^{-1} in river water at Bataghat which was more than
desirable (IS: 300 mg l^{-1}). The study indicated that the Hooghly river water is
polluting regularly and becoming unsuitable for aquatic animals. People who
used to bathe in the river were found affected by different skin diseases and
had a serious gastric problem like dysentery due to intake of the water.
Keywords: Hooghly river, physicochemical analysis, water quality
