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Journal
of Environmental Hydrology ISSN 1058-3912 |
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Electronic
Journal of the International Association for Environmental Hydrology
JEH Volume 13 (2005), Paper 15 Posted July 27, 2005 ASSESSMENT OF GROUNDWATER QUALITY, SOUTH 24-PARGANAS, WEST BENGAL COAST, INDIA
Saumitra Mukherjee1 2School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi, India 3Kleverberg, Kleve, Germany ABSTRACT The suitability of groundwater quality for drinking and agricultural purposes was assessed in the South 24-Parganas district of West Bengal (India), based on various water quality parameters. The study area falls under a monsoon type of climate. For the present study forty-six representative groundwater samples were collected randomly from tube wells/bore wells to monitor the water chemistry of various ions. The results showed that the concentrations of these ions are above the permissible limits for drinking and irrigation purposes. The pollution with respect to chloride, nitrate and fluoride is mainly attributed to the extensive use of fertilizers and large-scale discharge of municipal wastes into the open drainage system of the area. Most of the groundwater samples of the study area fall into the U.S. Salinity Laboratory Classification C3-S1 (high salinity-low SAR). According to the Wilcox irrigation water classification, 46 % of the water samples fall under good to permissible category and 37 % under the permissible to doubtful category. A classification based on conductivity shows most of the groundwater samples fall in the "tolerable" to "safe" category. Based on a groundwater chloride classification, 54 % of water samples are "safe" to "tolerable", and 22% of water samples fall under a "health hazard" category. Reference: Mukherjee, S., B.A. Kumar, and L. Körtvélyessy. 2005. Assessment of Groundwater Quality, South 24-Parganas, West Bengal Coast, India, Journal of Environmental Hydrology, Vol. 13, Paper 15. CONTACT: Saumitra Mukherjee Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences The University of Liverpool L693GP, Liverpool U.K. E-mail: dr.saumitramukherjee@usa.net |
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