Groundwater quality assessment in part of pudukkottai district

Abstract

Groundwater offers potable water and it is the most dependable resources for meeting rural water demand. The main objective of the present study is to assess the groundwater quality of Gandarvakkottai taluk, Pudukkottai taluk, Alangudi Taluk, Aranthangi Taluk and Avudaiyarkoil Taluk of Pudukkottai district. The Groundwater samples were collected from bore wells of twenty-eight sampling station covering all the above five taluks during the year from 2013 to 2017. The collected groundwater samples were tested as per the standard procedure of APHA (American Public Health Association). The physical and chemical parameters of the groundwater samples were analyzed. Hydro geochemical facies were carried out by Piper trilinear diagram. Water Quality rating in the study area was done by Water Quality Index(WQI). Suitability of water was identified by WATCLAST analysis. Multivariate statistical analysis such as correlation analysis, Principal component Analysis (PCA)/Factor Analysis(FA)and Cluster Analysis(CA) was carried out for identifying the factors which is responsible for variation in the water quality. In the study area according to water chemistry, the cation order is KltMgltCaltNa and anion order is Flt CO3ltNO3ltSO4ltClltHCO3. From Piper trilinear diagram it has been identified that the most dominating type of water in the study area are mixed Calcium - Magnesium - Chloride (Ca2+ - Mg2+ - Cl-) type, Calcium - Bicarbonate (Ca2+ - HCO3-) type and Sodium - Chloride (Na+ - Cl-) type. From water quality index (WQI) it is evident that 70% of samples are fit for drinking and domestic uses and the remaining samples indicates its usage is unsafe and requires treatment before consumption. newline