20-Water quality of surface water resources in Nagpur District of Maharashtra

Abstract

Water samples from reservoirs and rivers were collected during post monsoon and summer seasons. Various physico-chemical parameters, trace elements and bacteriological parameters were analyzed to assess the possibility of point and non- point pollution loads in the water resources. pH, turbidity, conductivity, total alkalinity and total hardness were found in the range of 6.2 to 8.3, 0.3 to 39 NTU, 67 to 680 pScm-1, 32 to 284mg/L and 62 to 308 mg/L respectively. Ca, Mg, Na and K were found in the range of 8 to 61 mg/L, 2 to 41 mg/L, 3 to 79 mg/L and 1 to 28 mg/L respectively. The respective ranges of CI, SO4, NO3 and PO4 were observed between 2 to 94 mg/L, 1 to 31 mg/L, 1 to 20 mg/L and 0.1 to 1.7 mg/L. DO and COD in the water ranged between 5.1 to 8.3 mg/L and 8 to 54 mg/L respectively. The study showed alkaline nature of water with sodium and calcium as dominating cations and chlorides as major anion. Trace metal concentration in all the samples are within the desirable limit. Most of the reservoirs and rivers are bacteriologically contaminated. The temporal and spatial variability in water quality may be assigned to catchment characteristics, agricultural and urban activities in the catchment and human and animal activities nearby water sources.