Abstract
Deterioration of groundwater quality due to anthropogenic activities is increasing at an alarming rate in most parts of the Punjab, but limited work has been carried out on groundwater quality and monitoring. This paper highlights the groundwater quality and compares its suitability for drinking and irrigation purpose in Malwa region, a southwestern part of Punjab. The Malwa region makes up the most cultivated area of Punjab with high consumption of pesticides and fertilizers. Twenty-four water samples representing groundwater sources were collected and analyzed for almost all major cations, anions and other physicochemical parameters. Analytical results of physicochemical analysis showed majority of the samples above the permissible limits of the Indian standards. The groundwater of the study area was very hard and the relative abundance of major cations and anions was Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+ and HCO3− > SO42− > Cl−. Fluoride content was higher than permissible limit in 75 % of the samples. The mean concentration of arsenic in groundwater was 9.37 and 11.01µg/L during summer and winter season, respectively. The parameters like sodium adsorption ratio and sodium percentage (Na%) revealed good quality of groundwater for irrigation purposes, whereas magnesium ratio and corrosivity ratio values showed that water is not suitable for agriculture and domestic use. The dominant hydrochemical facies of groundwater was Ca–Mg–HCO3 and Ca–Mg–SO4–Cl. Chloro alkaline indices 1 and 2 indicated that reverse ion exchange is dominant in the region. The samples fall in rock dominance and evaporation dominance fields as indicated by Gibbs diagram. The saturation index shows that all the water samples were supersaturated with respect to carbonate minerals. This work thus concludes that groundwater in the study area is chemically unsuitable for domestic and agricultural uses. It is recommended to carry out a continuous water quality monitoring program and development of effective management practices for utilization of water resources.
Highlights
Due to rapid industrialization and increasing human population, the stress on natural resources is increasing and their conservation is one of the major challenges for mankind
The mean nitrate concentration in the study area was lower as previously reported in Muktsar and Patiala districts of Punjab (Kumar et al 2007, 2009) but higher than those reported in Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts of Punjab (Purushothman et al 2012)
The majority of water samples were found to be beyond desirable limits as prescribed by WHO standards and Indian standards for drinking water
Summary
Due to rapid industrialization and increasing human population, the stress on natural resources is increasing and their conservation is one of the major challenges for mankind. Groundwater is a most vital resource for millions of people for both drinking and irrigation. The quality of groundwater is as important as its quantity because it is the major factor in determining its suitability for drinking, domestic, irrigation and industrial purposes. The concentration of chemical constituents which is greatly influenced by geological formations and anthropogenic activities determine the groundwater quality. Both the agricultural and anthropogenic activities have resulted in deterioration of water quality rendering serious threats to human beings. Fluoride occurs naturally in groundwater and provides protection against dental caries, especially in children.
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