Application of water quality index to assess suitability of groundwater quality for drinking purposes in Ratmao -Pathri Rao watershed, Haridwar District, India

摘要

Water Quality Index has been applying in the present study to assess suitability of groundwater quality for drinking purposes in Ratmao -Pathri Rao Watershed, Haridwar District, India. This was carried out by subjecting twenty one groundwater samples, collected from eleven selected site, to comprehensive physico-chemical analysis. Nine parameters have been considered for calculating the WQI such as: pH, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, chloride, nitrate, sulphate, and total dissolved solids. The computed WQI shows that 48% of water sample falls in excellent categories and 48% falls in the good water category. On the other hand one site located at Teliwala village which represent 4% falls in very poor categories. Such waters are not suitable for drinking purposes under normal condition and further action for salinity control is required. The high value of WQI at this site has been found to be mainly due to the higher values of TDS, Ca~(+2), K~+, Cl~-, Hco_3~-, No_3~(2-) and So_4~(2-) where it was found that there is a very high correlation coefficient between them.