Integrative Approaches for Analyzing Physicochemical and Biological Data for Water Quality Monitoring of Khairatabad Lake

Water is the driving force of nature, sustaining ecosystems, human life, and daily activities. Growing population, rapid urbanization, and pollution have increased pressure on freshwater systems, contributing to a condition of “water bankruptcy” in many regions. Lakes are important freshwater reservoirs that support local biodiversity, fisheries, and drinking water supply. However, they face severe contamination from human activity which degrades their quality. This study focuses on Khairatabad Lake, an urban water body hydrologically linked with Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad, Telangana, which is continuously affected by anthropogenic activities such as fishing, recreation, surface runoff, and domestic waste discharge. Despite its environmental significance and visible human use, it has received comparatively limited scientific attention, emphasizing the need for focused water quality evaluation. An integrative approach was employed to evaluate the water quality through physicochemical, microbial, and biochemical analyses. Physicochemical parameters were measured and evaluated against the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, while microbial and biochemical analyses characterized contamination and metabolic activity. The suitability of the lake water for human consumption and aquatic life was assessed and the findings reveal urbanization's significant impact on the ecological health of the lake, highlighting poor water quality, and urging targeted interventions to mitigate anthropogenic pressures.