Application of Water Quality Index (WQI) For Ground Water Quality Interpretation

Abstract

Water Quality Index (WQI) is a widely used technique in defining the quality of groundwater and finding whether it is advisable for human use. It is utmost necessary steps to understand the physical and chemical parameters defining the water quality for particular period and location using WQI calculation as it gives information in a single value. WQI has been calculated in twenty ground water samples collected from selected sampling stations at Madurai in the pre-monsoon, monsoon and post monsoon seasons. The water quality index values suggested that almost all the ground water samples were above 150, which indicated that they were unfit for drinking and one sample from Vilangudi had WQI less than 100 which indicated the water as poor category for drinking but could be used for irrigation purposes. The groundwater quality is also defined to be little better during post monsoon season in all the samples than during pre-monsoon and monsoon season.