Evaluation of Groundwater Quality for Drinking Purpose using Different Water Quality Indices in Parts of Gautam Budh Nagar District, India

Abstract

Water Quality Index (WQI) is a mathematical value for quality of water, which includes the concentration of a number of constituents present in it. Chemical and biological measures of water quality are used to represent water quality index. Measured value of the selected parameters, ideal concentration of that parameter in pure water and standard value given by different quality control organizations are used to determine this number. In the present study, three indexing methods; Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WAWQI), Groundwater Quality Index (GWQI) and Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCME WQI) were used to calculate water quality index of groundwater. A hydrochemical analysis of 22 groundwater samples was conducted to evaluate the quality of groundwater for drinking purpose. Ten hydrochemical parameters were selected for computing WQIs of groundwater samples and BIS standards were used for standardization. Analytical results show that 100 % of samples have magnesium and total hardness above the acceptable limit of BIS (10500, 2012). The mean concentration of nitrate was found 196.96 ± 9.3.18 mg/L. Spatial distribution of various parameters shows that south-east part of study area has contaminated groundwater. The results of water quality index shows that drinking water quality of 82 % (WAWQI), 95 % (GWQI) and 77 % (CCME WQI) of groundwater samples were poor to unsuitable type. Water quality index map also reveals that groundwater of village Badhpura, Dhoom Manikpur, Dairy Maccha, Khera Dharampura, Bisrakh road, Duryai and Dujana of district Gautam Budh Nagar of India, was not fit for human consumption.