Groundwater quality assessment at Malegaon region of Nanded in Maharashtra (India).

Abstract

The importance of groundwater in meeting the growing demand from agriculture, industry and domestic sectors cannot be overemphasized. At one time, its purity and availability were taken for granted. Now contamination and availability are serious issues. In India, most of the rural people still live in absolute poverty and often lack access to clean drinking water and basic sanitation. About 85% of rural population in India is solely depended on groundwater, which is depleting at a faster rate. Considering this fact, to assess the groundwater quality at Malegaon region of Nanded district, Maharashtra (India), five locations have been investigated for various physicochemical parameters. Samples were collected once in a month during June 2004 to May 2005. The studies have shown that the quality of the water has not been deteriorated. Temperature and EC were observed maximum in summer and minimum in monsoon season, pH of the water samples were observed to vary between 6.4 to 8.1. Total dissolved solids were found in the range of 244 to 475 mg/L. Total hardness was observed at varied concentrations 197 to 483 mg/L. Dissolved oxygen was observed in between 2.12 to 4.92 mg/L. The fluoride was found to be within permissible limit, average value of 0.36 mg/L. The chloride concentration was observed between 64 to 215 mg/L. The concentrations of sulfate and nitrate were observed maximum in monsoon and minimum in summer. It is probably due to the percolation of nitrogenous wastes. The entire investigations related to assessment of various parameters are discussed in the present study.