[Pollution Characterization and Comprehensive Water Quality Assessment of Rain-source River: A Case Study of the...

Rain-source urban rivers are an important part of the urban ecosystem. Due to the small water environment capacity and the rapid development of the regional economy and society, they are vulnerable to serious pollution. The goal of this study was to identify the main pollution characteristics of river water quality and to carry out a scientific comprehensive water quality assessment. Water samples from 12 sampling locations of the Longgang River in Shenzhen, a typical rain-source urban river, were collected from January to December in 2018. According to the Environmental Quality Standard for Surface Water (GB 3838-2002), 22 water quality indicators were analyzed, and the water quality of Longgang River was comprehensively evaluated using the single-factor assessment method, comprehensive pollution index method, and principal component analysis method. The results of the single-factor assessment method showed that water quality of all sampling sites of the Longgang River met the Class V of the Environmental Quality Standard for Surface Water (GB 3838-2002), and the Tiaojiao Shui and Longxi River met the Class Ⅳ and Class Ⅲ of the Environmental Quality Standard for Surface Water (GB 3838-2002), respectively. The results of the comprehensive pollution index method showed that the water quality of 12 sampling sites was clean or relatively clean. Both the results of the comprehensive pollution index and principal component comprehensive score showed that the water quality of Longxi River, Nanyue River, and Tianjiao Shui were the best among all sampling sites. There is still room for improvement in the Wutongshan River, Dakang River, Ailian River, Dingshan River, and Huangsha River, and significant consideration should be given to parameters such as nutrients (TN, TP, and NH₄⁺-N), organic matter (COD and BOD₅), fecal coliform, and anionic surfactants. The three methods were a combination of qualitative and quantitative evaluation. The results of each method were not identical. Thus, it is very necessary to explore the comprehensive water quality assessment using various methods for making scientific and reasonable water pollution control strategies.