Modeling water quality index to assess shallow groundwater quality for sustainable utilization in Southern India

  • Authors

    • Siddan Anbazhagan Periyar University, Department of Geology
    • Arumugam Jothibasu Periyar University
    2014-09-25
    https://doi.org/10.14419/ijag.v2i2.3285

  • Abstract

    In sustainable groundwater study, it is necessary to assess the quality of groundwater in terms of drinking and irrigation purposes. The present study attempt to assess the groundwater quality through Drinking Water Quality Index (DWQI) and Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI) in hard rock aquifer system and sustainable water use in Uppar Odai sub-basin, Southern India. The quality of ground water in major part of the study area is generally poor.  In order to understand the shallow groundwater quality, the water samples were collected from 24 dug wells. The primary physical and chemical parameters like potential Hydrogen (pH), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Hardness (TH), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K), bicarbonate (HCO3), carbonate (CO3), cloride (Cl), sulphate (SO4), nitrate (NO3) and fluoride (F) were analyzed for DWQI. The secondary parameters of irrigation groundwater quality indices such as Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Sodium Soluble Percentage (SSP), Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC), Permeability Index (PI), Corrosively Ratio (CR), Magnesium Adsorption Ratio (MAR) and Kellies Ratio (KR) were also derived from the primary parameter for IWQI. The DWQI and IWQI were classified into excellent to unfit condition of groundwater quality based on their Water Quality Index (WQI). The spatial distribution of DWQI (25%) and IWQI (58+26%) indicate that slightly unsustainable to sustainable state of groundwater quality.  Due to this quality deterioration of shallow aquifer, an immediate attention required for sustainable development.

    Keywords: Groundwater Quality, GIS, Water Quality Indices, Shallow Aquifer, Sustainable Development.

  • References

    1. Anbazhagan S, Das MK, GuruBalamurugan (2006) Hydro geochemical studies in hard rock aquifer system, Hosur, India. Indian Journal of Geochemistry Vol 21 December 2006. 22 (2): 519-535.
    2. Anbazhagan S, Archana M.Nair (2004) Geographic Information System and groundwater quality mapping in Panvel basin Maharashtra India. Environmental Geology, International Journal of Geosciences. DOI.10.1007/s00254-003-0932-9. 45:pp.4753-76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00254-003-0932-9.
    3. Arumugam, K and K. Elangovan, K (2009) Hydrochemical characteristics and groundwater quality assessment in Tirupur Region, Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India, Environ Geol (2009) 58:1509–1520 DOI 10.1007/s00254-008-1652-y. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1652-y.
    4. Bhardwaj, V, and Singh, DS (2010) Surface and groundwater quality characterization of Deoria District, Ganga Plain, India. Environmental Earth Sciences, doi: 10.1007/s12665-010-0709-x. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12665-010-0709-x.
    5. Binoj Kumar, RB and Divya, MP (2012) Spatial Evaluation of Groundwater Quality in Kazhakuttam Block, Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala. Journal Geological Society of India, Vol.80, pp.48-56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12594-012-0117-9.
    6. BIS (1991) Indian standard specification for drinking water, Bureau of Indian standards, New Delhi.
    7. Durbude DG, Varadrajan N, Purandara BK (2002) Mapping of groundwater quality parameters in GIS environment. Proceedings of international conference on hydrology and watershed management: with a focal theme on water quality and conservation for sustainable development, Hyderabad, A.P, India, 1, 568-577.
    8. [8] Elango L, Kannan R, SenthilKumar M (2003) Major ion chemistry and identification of hydrogeochemical processes of groundwater in a part of Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu. Env Geosci 1(4):157–166
    9. Gagannadha Rao, M. and et al (2007) Spatial variability of Groundwater Chemical Quality in part of Nalgonda district, Andra Pradesh. Jour. Geol. Soc. India, v.69, pp.983-988.
    10. Hakim, MA, Juraimi, AS, Begum, M, Hasanuzzaman, M, Uddin, MK, and Islam, MM (2009) Suitability evaluation of groundwater for irrigation, drinking and industrial purposes, Am. J. Environ. Sci., 5:413-419. http://dx.doi.org/10.3844/ajessp.2009.413.419.
    11. Haris H. Khan, Arina Khan, Shakeel Ahmed and Jerome Perrin (2011) GIS-based impact assessment of land-use changes on groundwater quality: study from a rapidly urbanizing region of South India Environ Earth Sci, 63:1289–1302. DOI 10.1007/s12665-010-0801-2.
    12. Karanth KR (1987) Ground Water Assessment Development and Management (New York: McGraw-Hill), pp.52-89.
    13. Merkel BJ, Friedrich B (2005) Groundwater geochemistry a practical guide to modeling of natural and contaminated aquatic systems. Springer Verlag, Berlin, p.200-206.
    14. Nas B, Berktay A (2008) Groundwater quality mapping in urban groundwater using GIS. Environ Monit Assess 160(1–4): 215–227.
    15. Ramesh, K and Elango, L (2011) Groundwater quality and its suitability for domestic and agricultural use in Tondiar river basin, Tamil Nadu, India. Environ Monit Assess. DOI 10.1007/s10661-011-2231-3. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2231-3.
    16. Raju J (2007) Hydrogeochemical parameters for assessment of groundwater quality in the upper Gunjanaeru River basin, Cuddapah District, Andhra Pradesh, South India. Environ Geol, 52:1067–1074. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00254-006-0546-0.
    17. Sujatha, D., and Reddy, B. R. (2003). Quality Characterization of groundwater in the south-eastern part of the Ranga Reddy District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Environmental Geology, 44, 579–586. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00254-003-0794-1.
    18. [18] Subramani, T., Elango, L., and Damodarasamy, S. R. (2005). Groundwater quality and its suitability for drinking and agricultural use in Chithar River Basin, Tamil Nadu, India. Environmental Geology, 47, 1099–1110. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-1243-0.
    19. Srinivasa Gowd S (2005) Assessment of groundwater quality for drinking irrigation purposes: a case study of Peddavanka watershed, Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Environ Geol 48:702–712. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-0009-z.
    20. Singh AK, Mondal GC, Kumar S, Singh TB, Tewary BK, Sinha A (2008) Major ion chemistry, weathering processes and waterquality assessment in upper catchments of Damodar River basin, India. Environ Geol 54:745–758. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0860-1.
    21. Singh Y, Dubey DP, Saxena VK (2002) Assessment of Drinking and industrial utility of groundwater of the Rewa region, central India, Proceedings of international conference on hydrology and watershed management: with a focal theme on water quality and conservation for sustainable development, Hyderabad, A.P., India, 1, 629-637.
    22. Thomas M (2000) the effect of residential development on ground-water quality near Detroit, Michigan. J Amer Water Resour Assoc 36: 1023-1038. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.2000.tb05707.x.
    23. Todd, DK (2001) Groundwater Hydrology. John Wiley and Sons Publication, Canada, pp. 280-281.
    24. Vennila, G, Subramani, T and Elango, L (2008) GIS Based Groundwater Quality Assessment of Vattamalaikarai Basin, Tamil Nadu, India. Nature Environment and Pollution Technology, Vol.7, No.4, pp.585-592.
    25. World Health Organization (2004) Guidelines for drinking-water quality. Third edition. World health organization report, Geneva, 1, Recommendations, pp.102-120.

  • Downloads

  • How to Cite

    Anbazhagan, S., & Jothibasu, A. (2014). Modeling water quality index to assess shallow groundwater quality for sustainable utilization in Southern India. International Journal of Advanced Geosciences, 2(2), 122-129. https://doi.org/10.14419/ijag.v2i2.3285

    Received date: 2014-07-29

    Accepted date: 2014-08-30

    Published date: 2014-09-25