Studies on Groundwater Quality and Its Suitability for Drinking Purpose in Baramati City, India

Groundwater is one of the natural resource with the potential for domestic, agricultural and industrial consumption. Groundwater quality of bore well water of Baramati city has undergone degradation due to anthropogenic and some natural factors. Groundwater samples were collected from thirty borewells and hand pumps of different areas of Baramati city, District Pune, Maharashtra (India) during the period January 2014 to December 2014 and analyzed for their physico-chemical characteristics. The various physico-chemical parameters such as pH, Electrical conductivity, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), HCO3-, Cl-, SO42- and DO were determined using standard procedures of APHA. The results of analysis were compared with the drinking water quality standards of Indian Standard Institute (BIS) and World Health Organization (WHO). In study area electrical conductivity and TDS of 80% samples were found above the maximum permissible limit of WHO and BIS. The higher values during summer reflect concentration effect. 30 to 33% groundwater samples shows sodium values above 200 mg/l, which is guideline limit for drinking water by WHO. In the study area 30% water samples were hard water category. The groundwater quality of the study area for drinking purpose has been spoiled by anthropological and other activities. The 30 to 80% borewell and hand pump water samples were found to be unsuitable directly for drinking purposes. Such water can be purified by using suitable purification methods and can be used for drinking purpose.