Study of Groundwater Salinity in Few Districts Adjoining River Ganga in Uttar Pradesh - A Case Study

Abstract

Central Pollution Control Board has focused on impact assessment of sewerage system and groundwater studies on River Ganga particularly in Uttar Pradesh state. Variation of total dissolved solid values in groundwater in some of the locations reveal that the water has become ‘Saline’ and ‘Brackish’ which could be due to over-extraction, besides contamination from anthropogenic sources. The chloride concentration in groundwater in the study shows that 10 locations are beyond the desirable limit as specified by BIS. There is a direct relationship between total dissolved solid and sodium, indicating of contamination. Nitrate content in groundwater in only one location, i.e., Dinapur, exceeded more than 7 times from the Indian Drinking Water Quality Criteria. The higher value of fluoride in groundwater was observed at various locations of Uttar Pradesh and appeared an inverse relationship between calcium concentrations indicating the cause as anthropogenic sources. Similarly, sulphate in 16 locations and phosphate in various locations of Saharanpur and Unnao districts exceeded the maximum permissible limit of BIS specified. Total coliform and faecal coliform counts was found in 27 locations above the permissible limits of BIS specified.