Groundwater Quality in Parts of Central Ganga Basin, Aligarh City, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Hydrochemistry of groundwater in Aligarh city of Uttar Pradesh, India was used to determine its suitability for drinking and irrigation purpose. Physical and chemical parameters of groundwater such as electrical conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl–, HCO3 –, CO3 2– and SO4 2–, were determined in one hundred groundwater samples collected from open wells as well as hand pumps in 2010. Ionic concentrations of the groundwater vary spatially and temporarily and the water is alkaline in nature. The higher values of some parameters at certain locations indicate contamination of the groundwater, making it unsuitable for specific applications. Twenty five percent of the wells lie under the medium salinity zone (EC 750-2250 micro mhos/cm). The Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR) values range between 0.26 to 15.5 indicating that some water samples fall under the category of medium salinity hazard and are not suitable for irrigation. The groundwater of the area has also been classified on the basis of the Piper diagram. Many of the samples fall in the magnesium and sodium or potassium type, and 50% samples fall in no dominant type. As per US Salinity Laboratory Classification for irrigation water, most of the water samples fall under C2-S1 class (medium salinity and low SAR), eighteen locations fall under the category C3-S2 class (medium salinity and low SAR) and one location Luxmi Nagar shows C3-S3 (high salinity and high SAR). The major reason for the decline in water quality is the dumping of large amount of acid wastes by illegal lock factories, and another important source of pollution is slaughterhouse where at least 2500 buffaloes are slaughtered daily.