WATER QUALITY CHANGES IN IALOMIÞA RIVER UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Water quality changes in Ialomiţa River under the influence of human settlements and activities. This article analyzes the evolution of the Ialomiţa River's water quality between 2005 and 2014 under the impact of several pressures, such as human settlements located along its course, human activities that generate wastewater which is subsequently dumped in the river and the practice of uncontrolled waste disposal on the banks or in the river's waters. Our approach relies on three types of information: 1) spatial data; 2) scientific literature review; 3) hydrological management data; and 4) water quality data. The paper presents various sources of domestic, agricultural and industrial pollution, which are all located along the river, and describes in detail their point or diffuse character. In relation to these pollution sources, we analyzed the repartition of the Ialomiţa River's waters into quality classes. The most significant human pressures come from diffuse sources, such as settlements lacking sewage collection and treatment systems or agricultural activities. Unregulated and inadequate landfills are an additional threat, not only for water quality but also for human health. Starting from 2010, no sector of Ialomiţa River was found to belong in the 4th or 5th classes of water quality (highly degraded water). Nevertheless, there are several sectors that fall into the 3rd class (average water quality). There is an urgent need to create, and subsequently apply, viable and effective programs for eliminating the human pressures that were pointed out in the article.