International Journal of Environment and Climate Change

The present study evaluated the water quality of selected protected and unprotected wetlands of the Bhopal region using the Water Quality Index (WQI). Water samples were analysed for temperature, pH, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, chloride, phosphate and nitrate following standard methods (Adoni et al., 1985; American Public Health Association et al., 2012), and the results were compared with WHO (2022)  and BIS (IS 10500:2012) drinking water standards. All individual physicochemical parameters in both wetlands were within permissible limits; however, their combined assessment through WQI revealed clear differences in overall water quality. The WQI values for Ratapani Reservoir ranged from 14.75 to 22.86 during monsoon, winter and summer, indicating excellent water quality throughout the study period. In contrast, Prem Talab recorded WQI values between 43.3 and 59.6, reflecting good water quality during winter and poor quality during monsoon and summer seasons. These findings suggest that water from Ratapani Reservoir is suitable for drinking and other domestic uses without major treatment, whereas water from Prem Talab requires proper treatment before consumption. The study highlights the usefulness of WQI as a simple and effective tool for water quality assessment and emphasizes the need for improved management of unprotected wetlands to ensure sustainable use of water resources.