Ground Water Quality Assessment and Hydrogeological Scenario of Twin City Durg-Bhilai, Chhattisgarh State

Abstract

Groundwater quality varies due to variation in climatic conditions, contact time of water with host rock and inputs from soil during percolation of water. The contaminations of the ground water by industrial effluent and domestic sewage sources are alarming in several parts of the country. The ground water as well as surface water is seriously deteriorated due to rapid industrialization and urbanization. The present study was conducted to assess the suitability of ground water and key contamination issues of the study area.

The present study was conducted during May 2021 with the collection of around 44 samples in the Durg-Bhilai area of the Chhattisgarh State. The collected water samples were analyzed for 16 basic parameters and 6 heavy metals as per the standard methods of analysis and results were compared with BIS drinking water standard 2012.  The analytical result reveals that the most of the analyzed constituents are within the BIS prescribed limits and are fit for the drinking purpose. Majority of ground water of Bhilai-Durg twin city belongs to the calcium magnesium bicarbonate (Ca-Mg-HCO₃) type and suitable for various uses like drinking, agriculture etc. However high content of nitrate, iron and manganese occurred in few of the ground water samples in the study which is discussed in this paper. Ground water is mostly neutral to mild alkaline in nature. Nitrate contamination in ground water is main problem observed in the Bhilai- Durg twin city. Exceptionally high fluoride, Iron and Manganese concentration is observed in few locations. Ground water mostly suitable for drinking and irrigation purpose in Bhilai- Durg twin city of the central India.