Abstract:
Groundwater is one of the vital resources, which meets the requirements of daily livelihood especially in rural areas of India. Growing demand of water in various sectors viz; agriculture, industrial and domestic sectors, has brought problems of over-exploitation of the groundwater resource, continuously declining groundwater levels, sea water ingress in coastal areas, and groundwater pollution in different parts of the country. The groundwater of Bemetara district is affected by sulphate contamination reported by Public Health Engineering Department, Durg, Chhattisgarh. Higher concentration of sulphate in ground water causes gastrointestinal irritation. Therefore, Bemetara district is selected for the evaluation of groundwater quality. Fifty three ground water samples were collected during pre- and post-monsoon (2018-19) from the study area and analyzed for physico-chemical parameters. Hydro-chemical data for pre- and post-monsoon seasons was processed as per BIS and WHO standards to examine the suitability of ground water for drinking purpose. Ionic relationships were developed and water types identified. Spatial distribution maps were prepared in the form of contour diagrams to identify degraded water quality zones, possible sources of pollution and specific parameters not conforming to drinking/ & irrigation water quality standards. Suitability of ground water for irrigation purpose has been assessed on the basis of total soluble salts, SAR and RSC and found to be fit for irrigation. Classification of water was made using Piper trilinear diagram and U.S. Salinity Laboratory Classification. Majority of the samples of the study area belong to Ca-Mg-Cl-SO4 or Ca-Mg-0O3-HCO3 hydrochemical facies and fall under water types C3-S1. The C3-S1 type water (high salinity and low SAR) cannot be used on soils with restricted drainage.
