Environmental Impact Study on Khong-Chi-Mun Water Quality in Ubon Ratchathani Province

Abstract

Khong-Chi-Mun are the three main water supply sources for the communities in the northeast especially for Ubon Ratchathani Province. Ubon Ratchathani uses water from this rivers for her domestic used, agricultural and industrial purposes. According to water quality results showed that the rivers got impact from domestic wastewater, agricultural land and industrial waste. Mun water quality showed that domestic waste had an impact on her quality. TKN and total coli form of this river had higher value of 1.6 mg/l and 17x10³ MPN/100 ml, respectively when compared with the other two rivers. However, the physical and chemical properties of these three rivers are still under the water quality standard and be classified as the second class quality.

Heavy metal and pesticide analysis results showed that water quality of these rivers got an impact from agricultural land Zn, Cu and pesticides were found in these rivers in the quality that higher than in the nature. Beside that aldrin which is one of the dangerous pesticide in an organochlorine group was also detected. However, quantity of both heavy metal and pesticide reported are still lower than the maximum limit of surface water quality standard. Therefore protection of the rivers from these contaminations should be aware in order to prevent the deterioration of the water quality.