Water quality conditions and pollution status of the Belawan River, North Sumatra Province

Department of Aquatic Resources Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara. Jl. Prof A. Sofyan No. 3, Medan, 20155

^* Corresponding author: rusdi.leidonald@usu.ac.id

Abstract

The Belawan River is located in North Sumatra, Indonesia. This river crosses Medan City and Deli Serdang Regency. This research will be conducted from June to July 2024, encompassing sampling, measurement of water physicochemical parameters, laboratory testing and analysis of samples, and data analysis. The location of sampling and measurement of environmental parameters was carried out in the Belawan River, Pancur Batu District, Deli Serdang Regency. Sampling was carried out at 15 stations using a purposive sampling method. Determination of pollution status using the Pollution Index, CCME, and NSF-WQI methods. The characteristics of the physical parameters obtained were temperature (23.0-32.3°C), turbidity (1.19 NTU - 11.7 NTU), TSS (1 mg/L - 25 mg/L), and TDS (4.9 mg/L -198.2 mg/L). The chemical parameter characteristics are DO (6.2 mg/L - 9.3 mg/L), pH (6.6 - 9.7), BOD (3.5 mg/L - 23.8 mg/L), COD (9.1 mg/L - 50.5 mg/L), nitrate (0.4 mg/L - 4.1 mg/L), and phosphate (0.2 mg/L - 2 mg/L), and the biological parameter characteristics are faecal coliform (20 MPN -1400 MPN). The pollution status of the Belawan River shows light to good pollution. Polluted conditions are found in the downstream, and good conditions are found in the upstream