Effects of pollution in River Krishni on hand pump water quality

Abstract

River Krishni is highly polluted. The investigation was “to study the effect of pollution in River Krishni on the quality of groundwater abstracted through shallow and deep hand pumps placed in the close vicinity of River Krishni”. One such affected Village Chanedna Maal was selected for the study. Water samples were analyzed in terms of physical, chemical and bacteriological water quality parameters. Range of values of conductivity (1040–2770 μS/cm), TOC (27.79–1365.1 mg/L), UV absorbance at 254 nm (0.281–10.34 cm -1 ), color (1510–5200 CU), and COD (15.82–1062 mg/L) indicated presence of significant amount of pollution / organics in the river water, total coliform (16x102–46x106 MPN/100mL) and fecal coliform (16x102–24x106 MPN/100mL). In case of deeper India Mark-II hand pumps conductivity was found to range from 443–755 μS/cm, TOC (0.226–9.284 mg/L), UV absorbance (0.0–0.118 cm -1 ), colour (0.0–119 CU), COD (9.0–113 mg/L) and MPN (0.0–93x101/100m L). While in case of shallower hand pumps conductivity (441–1609 μS/ cm), TOC (0.015–68.82 mg/L), UV absorbance (0.0–1.094 cm -1 ), colour (4.0–560 CU), COD (9.72–163 mg/L) and MPN (0.0–15x102/100mL). Hand pumps abstracting water from shallow and deep unconfined aquifers have been found to deliver polluted water in terms of color, organics and coliform bacteria. As the hand pumps are the only source of water supply in Village Chandena Maal, pollution of the groundwater has adversely affected the day to day life of its 3000 residents.