A comparative evaluation of groundwater suitability for irrigation and drinking purposes in two intensively cultivated districts of Punjab, India |
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| Authors: | Manish Kumar Kalpana Kumari AL Ramanathan Rajinder Saxena |
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| Institution: | (1) School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India;(2) Air and Water Science, Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden;(3) Department of Urban Engineering, Tokyo University, Tokyo, Japan |
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| Abstract: | Punjab is the most cultivated state in India with the highest consumption of fertilizers. Patiala and Muktsar districts are
two agricultural dominated districts of Punjab located in extreme south-east and south-west of the state. This paper highlights
temporal variations of the groundwater quality and compares its suitability for irrigation and drinking purpose in these two
districts. Water samples were collected in March and September 2003, representing the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons,
respectively. Water samples were analysed for almost all major cations, anions, dissolved heavy metals and turbidity. Parameters
like sodium adsorption ratio, % sodium, residual sodium carbonate, total hardness, potential salinity, Kelley’s ratio, magnesium
ratio, index of base exchange and permeability index were calculated on the basis of chemical data. A questionnaire was also
used to investigate perception of villagers on taste and odour. Comparison of the concentration of the chemical constituents
with WHO (world health organization) drinking water standards of 2004 and various classifications show that present status
of groundwater in Patiala is better for irrigation and drinking purposes except for a few locations with a caution that it
may deteriorate in near future. In Muktsar, groundwater is not suitable for drinking. Higher total hardness (TH) and total
dissolved solids at numerous places indicate the unsuitability of groundwater for drinking and irrigation. Results obtained
in this forms baseline data for the utility of groundwater. In terms of monsoon impact, Patiala groundwater shows dilution
and flushing but Muktsar samples show excessive leaching of different chemical components into the groundwater leading to
the enrichment of different anions and cations indicating pollution from extraneous sources. No clear correlation between
the quality parameters studied here and perceived quality in terms of satisfactory taste response were obtained at electrical
conductivity values higher than the threshold minimum acceptable value. |
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| Keywords: | Drinking and irrigation utility Groundwater Muktsar Patiala Punjab India |
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