Determinación del ICA en cuerpos hídricos del Cantón Rumiñahui, en un periodo comprendido entre el 2017 - 2021

Abstract

Within this work, a comparative study of two methodologies used to determine the contamination of the San Nicolas river, located in the parish of Sangolquí, Rumiñahui canton, in a previously determined section of the river, was carried out, through the analysis of the Water Quality Index, as a general characterization mechanism of the river water quality, and the Pollution Index considering the maximum permissible limits determined by the Environmental Regulations in force in Ecuador, Ministerial Agreement 097-A, Official Register 387 of November 04, 2015, for which four points distributed throughout the aforementioned water basin were analyzed. The results obtained made it possible to compare the methodologies used and determine that both methods reflected poor water quality in the section of the river analyzed, which was maintained in the period between 2017 and 2021; however, from the analysis carried out individually at each monitored point, it was determined that the point furthest from the urban sector, that is, the point called "Hacienda San Agustin", maintained an average water quality, considering that it is in a mainly agricultural area where there is no major human intervention (liquid discharges) Going up along the San Nicolas river, with the methodologies used, it was possible to determine that, at the analysis point called "Puente Turucucho", the water continues to be of medium quality, considering that, in 2019, due to the increase in human activities since this area is populated and close to a high number of mechanics, parameters such as TPH (Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons), Dissolved Oxygen and Total Coliforms had a notable impact on water quality, with both methodologies this was reflected occurrence since the results allowed to determine a poor quality of water in this year. Finally, at the point called "Cerro Hermoso Street" and "Waters above the Cachaco River", with both methodologies it was possible to determine that the water is of poor quality, considering that both points are completely within the urban area of the canton, surrounded by in its entirety of housing and economic activities, including mainly mechanical, floriculture, industries and slaughter activities, for this reason, there is a non-compliance with the parameters Oils and Fats, Surfactants, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Dissolved Oxygen and TPH (Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons).