Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

ASSESSMENT OF GROUNDWATER QUALITY AND ITS SPATIALVARIABILITY FOR DRINKING USE IN NORTHEASTERN KARNATAKA,INDIA

Basavaraja D., J.B. Kambale, S.L. Arunkumar and M. Lingadevaru

Abstract

This paper aimed to analyze the groundwater quality and its suitability for drinking in northeasternKarnataka, India. For this study, groundwater samples were collected from randomly selected sixty-fivebore well. The standard analysis techniques used to analyze samples for physicochemical parameters likepH, EC, TDS, total alkalinity, total hardness, Ca2+, Mg2+, SO42-, Cl-, F-, NO3-, PO42-, Na+ and K+. The suitabilityof groundwater for drinking is assessed based on the concentration of physicochemical parameters andwater quality index. Groundwater quality index (GWQI) exhibited that about 61.53% of the samples belongedto the excellent-good category, and 38.47% belonged to the poor category for drinking purposes. The spatialvariability map for all parameters prepared using ArcGIS ver. Xx.xxx software. Gibbs ratio confirmed thatmineral content in the groundwater is from rock origin.