Evaluation of Spatial and Temporal Variations of Water Quality of Urban and Rural Areas of Kishtwar Valley

The Kishtwar Valley, located in Jammu and Kashmir, India, is characterized by diverse hydro-ecological parameters where both urban and rural communities depend heavily on surface and groundwater resources. This study evaluates the spatial and temporal variations in water quality across urban and rural areas of the valley. Seasonal sampling was conducted to analyse physicochemical parameters, including pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity, nitrates, phosphates, and heavy metals. Results reveal significant differences between urban and rural water sources, with urban areas showing higher organic and industrial pollution, while rural areas are more affected by agricultural runoff and seasonal erosion. Temporal variations highlight deterioration in summer due to reduced dilution and improvement during monsoon months. The findings emphasize the need for integrated water management strategies to safeguard public health and ecological sustainability. The physical and chemical properties of water, including its pH, colour, turbidity, cations, anions, phosphates, total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and total dissolved solids (TDS), can be used to evaluate its quality.