Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

Vol. 28, May Suppl. Issue 2022; Page No.(511-517)

QUALITY CHARACTERIZATION OF GROUNDWATER IN SOME PARTS OF JAJPUR DISTRICT, ODISHA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO DRINKING WATER AND IRRIGATION STANDARDS

Sushree Sagarika Behera, Jagadish Kumar Tripathy and Debasis Singh

Abstract

Groundwater is one of the most significant resources impacting human health in terms of drinking waterquality. The purpose of this study is to analyse the quality of groundwater of different sources and compare it with World Health Organization (WHO) standards and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Groundwatersamples were collected from several places across the study area. During 2018 pre-monsoon season, twentysamples were taken from the tube wells. The samples were analysed for determining their physico chemicalcharacteristics in order to identify quality problems and recommend safe drinking water point sources. Inaddition to determination of major ions such as Sodium (Na+), Potassium (K+), Magnesium (Mg2+), Calcium(Ca2+), Sulphate (SO42-), Chloride (Cl-), Carbonate (CO32-), and Bicarbonate (HCO3), the suitability wasdetermined by estimating Electrical conductivity (EC), H+ ion concentration (pH), Alkalinity, and Totaldissolved Solid (TDS). The analysis results carried out showed the following concentration ranges pH (6.8-7.81), EC (103-1985 μs/cm), TH (133-466 mg/l), TDS (77-1469 mg/l), Ca (31-127 mg/l), Mg (9.97-436.2 mg/l), Na (10.3-88.3 mg/l), K (0.68-59 mg/l), HCO3- (,96.5-436.2 mg/l), Cl- (23.59-127.8 mg/l), SO42- (15-57 mg/l), and alkalinity (92-289 mg/l). The Water Quality Index (WQI) technique is used to classify water qualityin a region and ascertain if it is suitable for drinking. Out of 20 groundwater samples, 13 samples representedgood quality water, 6 samples indicate poor quality water, and 1 sample indicated water to be unfit forconsumptions for drinking purpose. Based on the physico chemical analyses results, different parametersare calculated for irrigation purposes like Percentage Sodium, Sodium Absorption Ratio, Salinity Index,Soluble sodium percentage, Residue Sodium Carbonate, Kelley’s ratio and Magnesium Hazard Ratio. Fromthe results it is found that most of the water samples are categorised under suitable condition for drinkingand irrigation purposes and few samples are unsuitable for drinking and irrigation purposes.