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Variation in some chemical parameters of underground water resources of Bhopal

A. Wanganeo 2 , A.A Naik 2 and I.A Sheikh 1 *

1 Department of Bioscience, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, 462 026 India

2 Department of Limnology, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, 462 026 India

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/Variation in some chemical parameters of underground water resources of Bhopal

The paucity of sub surface water resources in Bhopal has led to tapping the underground water resources viz., tube wells and hand pumps. On account of the fast development of the human population and industrialization even the underground water resources are affected to a large extent. Keeping in view the welfare of human population dependent mostly on underground water resources an attempt has been made to evaluate their potable status.

It has been found that most of the underground water resources are near alkaline in nature. However, some of the under ground water resources recorded very high conductivity and magnesium values.

On comparing the present values with that of the various standards, the water collected from some of the tube wells is comparatively much better in comparison to the water collected from hand pumps.


Potable Quality; Hand Pumps; Tube Wells

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Wanganeo A, Naik A.A, Sheikh I.A. Variation in some chemical parameters of underground water resources of Bhopal. Curr World Environ 2007;2(1):85-88 DOI:http://dx.doi.org/Variation in some chemical parameters of underground water resources of Bhopal

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Wanganeo A, Naik A.A, Sheikh I.A. Variation in some chemical parameters of underground water resources of Bhopal. Curr World Environ 2007;2(1):85-88. Available from: http://www.cwejournal.org/?p=645

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Article Publishing History

Received: 2007-03-20
Accepted: 2007-05-10

Introduction

The quality of drinking water in Indian cities has deteriorated in the recent years mainly due to growing population, unplanned growth of cities coupled with no proper sewage system leading to poor disposal of the waste water, both from industrial and household activities, Ghazali (1992).

On account of the paucity of open water resources for potable purpose, groundwater resources are being tapped profusely throughout the year. The over use of underground resources has led to number of problems and invites attentions for their conservation and maintenance of their potable quality as most of the ailments in India (70%) such as jaundice, cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery and typhoid etc., are caused by the consumption of polluted water, Rehman (2003). Somashekar et al. (2000) in their study conducted in a rural district of Banglore reported that 80% of wells are unsuitable for potable purpose in terms of hardness, while 50% and 20% were not fit for the drinking purpose on account of magnesium and nitrate respectively. Since no study of such type has been conducted in Bhopal as such the necessity was felt to conduct the work.

Material and Methods

Water samples of various hand pumps and tube wells from fourteen sites were collected in polythene bottles as per the standard procedure and were transported to laboratory for chemical analysis. The chemical analysis was carried out following the methods as given in APHA (1995), pH and conductivity values were measured with portable digital meters-Systronics.

Table 1: Important chemical characteristics of underground water samples.

Parameter Units Tube well Hand pumps
    X1 X2 X3 X4 X5 X6 X7 X8 X9 X10 X11 X12 X13 X14
pH - 6.2 8 7.3 7.6 7.4 7 7.7 7.2 8 7.6 6.9 6.6 6.7 6.8
TDS mg/l 420 490 570 540 460 1220 220 580 790 930 580 280 700 280
Electric Conductivity µS 660 790 920 860 730 1900 340 900 1310 1470 900 450 1110 440
Total Alkalinity mg/l 250 338 430 350 320 348 174 532 388 228 410 220 310 190
Total Hardness mg/l 200 190 390 240 274 352 136 710 760 412 226 170 140 230
Calcium hardness mg/l 58.87 168 58.87 67.28 195.3 54.66 27.75 126.15 619.5 235.2 69.8 54.66 37.84 71.48
Magnesium hardness mg/l 141.1 22 331.1 172.7 78.7 297.34 108.3 583.85 140.5 176.2 156.2 115.34 102.2 158.52
Chloride mg/l 66.99 89.91 79.99 105 74.92 84.99 19.99 359 309.69 324 105 44.99 44.99 139.99

X1= Ibrahimpura Chowk; X2 = Nadeem road Ibrahimpura; X3 = Bawaria Kala-II; X4 = Narayan Nagar; X5 =6 No. Bus stop; X6 = Baghswania; X7 = Bag Mugalia; X8 = Bawaria Kala-I;X9 = Pipaliya-I; X10 = Pipaliya-II; X11 = Janghirabad; X12 = Ravishankar Nagar; X13 = Budhwara; X14 = Itwara.

Table 2: Variation in chemical parameters on average basis in comparison to various standards

Parameter Units Tube well Hand pumps Standards
        WHO ICMR BIS
    Min Max Mean Min Max Mean HDL* MPL** HDL* MPL** HDL* MPL**
pH - 6.2 8 7.27 8 6.6 7.19 7-8.5 6.5-9.5 7-7.5 6.5-9.2 7-8.3 8.5-9
TDS mg/l 420 570 505 220 1220 604 500 1000 500 1500 500 2000
Electric Conductivity µS 660 920 807.5 340 1470 633.5 - - - - - -
Total Alkalinity mg/l 250 430 342 174 532 312 120 250 120 250 200 600
Total Hardness mg/l 190 390 255 140 760 341 100 500 200 600 200 600
Calcium hardness mg/l 58.87 168 88.25 27.75 619.5 149.23 75 200 75 200 75 200
Magnesium hardness mg/l 22 331.1 166.72 78.7 583.85 191.71 30 150 50 200 - -
Chloride mg/l 66.99 105 85.47 19.99 359 150.75 200 600 200 1000 250 1000

WHO: World Health Organization; ICMR: Indian Council of Medical Research; BIS: Bureau of Indian Standards; HDL*: Highest Desirable Limit. MPL**: Maximum Permissible Limit. 

Results and Discussion

Determination of chemical characteristics is essential for assessing the suitability of water for drinking purpose. Present work has been compared with the standards laid down by various agencies such as WHO, ICMR and BIS. The results of the present study are given in Table: 1. The observed pH values ranging from 6.2-8 show that the water samples were near neutral to slightly alkaline. These values are within maximum permissible limit prescribed by WHO, ICMR and BIS (Table: 2).

The overall conductivity values ranged from 340-1900µS.The conductivity values of tube wells ranged between 660-920 µS, while, the conductivity value of hand pumps ranged from 340-1900 µS (Table.2). Very high electric conductivity values were recorded in four hand pump samples (Table.1), which might be on account of underground minerals. No prescribed standards are suggested by WHO, ICMR and BIS for electrical conductance of water for drinking purposes, so no comparison can be made from observed values.

TDS values of the water samples ranged between 220-1220mg/l. The TDS values of some of the samples (X1, X2 among tube wells and X5, X7, X 12, X14 among hand pumps) were found to be within the highest desirable limits as per WHO, ICMR and BIS, thus recording that out of 14 samples only six samples were found to be safe for drinking purpose. TDS value of sample X6 was found to exceed even the maximum permissible limit as per WHO.

Total alkalinity values of all the water samples varied from 174-532mg/l. The values exceeded highest desirable limit except one (174 mg/l recorded in sample X7). In most of the samples (X2, X3, X4,X5, X6, X8, X9, X11, X13) the total alkalinity values exceeds the maximum permissible limit as per the specification WHO and ICMR So from the alkalinity point of view, quality of water samples of the above mentioned sites belonging to both hand pumps and tube wells is of very poor quality.

The calcium hardness values ranged between 27.75-619.5mg/l.the values of samples X9 and X10 exceed the maximum permissible limit as per WHO, ICMR and BIS while in most of the samples calcium hardness values were even below the highest desirable limits even as specified by WHO, ICMR and BIS.

Magnesium hardness values of the samples varied between 22-383.85mg/l. The values of the sample X3, X6 and X8 exceed the maximum permissible limit set by WHO, ICMR and BIS whereas all other samples have the value within the maximum permissible limit.

Total hardness value varied from136-760mg/l. Total hardness of water samples X8 and X9 exceed the maximum permissible limit according to WHO, ICMR and BIS and the values of remaining twelve samples were within the maximum permissible limit as per WHO, ICMR and BIS.

Chloride content of all the samples ranged from 19.99-350mg/l which is within the maximum permissible limit as prescribed by WHO, ICMR and BIS.

The present study reveals that the water collected from some of the tube wells is comparatively much better in comparison to the water collected from hand pumps.

References
 

  1. APHA. Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. American Public Health Association Washington, D.C. (1995).
  2. Attiqur Rahman, Assessing water quality from Jal Nigam hand pumps in Aligarh City. Nature Environment and Pollution Technology, (2003) 2(2), 241-244.
  3. BIS, Drinking water specification (first revision) First reprint. Bureau of Indian Standards. IS: 10500:1991 (1992).
  4. Ghazali, F.A. Poisoned waters, mindless industrialization polluting rivers. Nation and the World, 15th Feb.  (1992) pp. 28-29.
  5. I.C.M.R. Manual of standards of quality drinking water supplies. Indian Council of Medical Research. 2nd ed. Special report series No. 44, New Delhi (1975).
  6. Somashekar, R.K. Ground water chemistry of Channapatna Taluk (Banglore rural district) Regression and cluster analysis. Journal of Environment and Pollution. (2000) 7(2): 101-09.
  7. W.H.O. Guidelines for drinking water quality, W.H.O. Geneva. (1984) Vol. 1.
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