The present study was carried out to assess the water quality at 30 selected sites on banks of the Ganges river in Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh. Electro-chemical parameters like pH, EC, carbonate, bicarbonate, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulfate, nitrate and iron were analyzed and compared with World Health Organization (WHO) standards for drinking water quality. All the water samples were alkaline, with calcium and magnesium contents within permissible limits, while potassium content exceeded the permissible limit at one location. Sodium, iron and nitrate values were within WHO limits.
Drinking water, Gangetic basin, Ion, Permissible limit, Water quality
