The semi-arid climate of Punjab India with limited rainfall compels the agricultural dependency on Sutlej River. Sutlej water quality assessment was performed while emphasizing the impact of urban discharges. The river water is alkaline in nature (pH 7.8-8.4) with low salinity (100-200 mg L-1) and total dissolved solids (TDS 190-320 mg L-1). The tributary Buddha Nullah that flows through the Ludhiana city exhibit salinity and TDS up to 1000 and 1440 mg L-1, respectively and affects the same for the Sutlej River. The tributary also exhibits high cations and anions compared to Sutlej River and vary in the order of Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Si4+ > K+ > Na+ > Fe(T) and HCO3- > Cl- > SO42- > NO3- > PO43-, respectively. The CaHCO3 water type of this river is controlled by rock weathering processes where carbonate weathering has predominated over silicate and reverse ion exchange process partly contributed to excess Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions in river water. The Sutlej water becomes doubtful to poor quality for irrigation after its confluence with the tributary. Very poor water quality for drinking use is also found for the tributary that deteriorated Sutlej water after its confluence. Though trace metals are within the permissible limit, the upstream sites contain little greater concentrations compared to the downstream site of Sutlej River.