Assesment of ground water quality and its suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes of Prakasam district Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

Water is one of the essential elements for the origin, existence and sustenance of newlinelife on Earth. It is regarded as the raw material for civilization. Water is a precious natural gift and is an important renewable resource on the planet Earth. The continuous circulation of water between the different spheres of the environment constitutes the hydrological cycle. Due to urbanization and industrialization together with the lack of wisdom to live in harmony with nature, has led to the deterioration of quality of water thus resulting in water pollution. The reasons for water pollution can be identified as municipal, industrial, agricultural and miscellaneous sources such as septic tank leakages, newlinesalinity intrusion in coastal aquifers etc. Therefore water pollution is defined as any newlinedegradation in natural water quality making the water unfit for intended use. Hence newlinesuitability of water for various purposes needs to meet different quality standards. Due to inadequate availability of surface water, groundwater remains the only option to newlinesupplement the ever increasing demand of water. Groundwater is the ultimate and most newlinesuitable fresh water resource for human consumption, as well as for agricultural and newlineindustrial uses in many regions all over the world. Thus water quality varies with newlineintended use. Groundwater usually contains high total dissolved solids concentration. However water is regarded fresh only when total dissolved solids concentration is less than 1000 ppm which makes it suitable for drinking. Certain parameters such as Nitrates, Fluorides also prove to be deleterious to human health. The well waters are expected to contain more dissolved salts of the sodium, calcium and magnesium and their use in ASSESSMENT OF GROUNDWATER QUALITY AND ITS SUITABILITY FOR DRINKING AND IRRIGATION PURPOSES OF PRAKASAM DISTRICT, newlineANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA irrigation results in the increase of the salinity of the soil and thereby the loss of fertility.