Suitability of groundwater quality for drinking, irrigation and industrial purposes in the Western Delta Region of the River Godavari, Andhra Pradesh

• Published in: Journal of the Geological Society of India 2015-08, Vol.86 (2), p.181-190
• Main Authors: Nageswara Rao, P. V., Appa Rao, S., Subba Rao, N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthropogenic factors; Aquifer systems; Brackish; Chemical analysis; Clay; Clay (material); Drinking water; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Filled plastics; Floodplains; Freshwater; Geology; Ground-water quality; Groundwater; Groundwater irrigation; Groundwater pollution; Hydrogeology; Irrigation; River basins; Rivers; Sand; Water quality; Water quality standards
• ISSN: 0016-7622; 0974-6889
• DOI: 10.1007/s12594-015-0297-1

The people of the Western Delta Region of the River Godavari, Andhra Pradesh are in a dilemma whether to use or not to use the groundwater for drinking, irrigation and industrial purposes due to influences of geogenic, marine and anthropogenic activities on aquifer system. To clarify this doubt, the present study has been taken up. Geologically, the region is underlain by coarse sand with black clay of buried channel (BC) zone, black silty clay of flood plain (FP) zone and grey/white fine sand of beach sediment of coastal (C) zone. The results of the chemical analysis of groundwater suggest that the quality of water is of alkaline, low to high salinity and hard to very hard. The trilinear diagram shows that the quality of groundwater is dominated by non-carbonate alkali and mixed types. Because of the deterioration of groundwater quality, the concentrations of TH, Mg 2+ , Na + , Cl – and SO 4 2– exceed their drinking water quality standards in most of the region. The groundwater quality is not suitable with respect to SAR, %Na + and MH, but they are safe in respect of RSC and PI in some locations for irrigation. In a few locations, the quality of groundwater is useful for industrial purpose. As a whole, the groundwater quality in BC zone is found to be superior to that in FP and C zones. Suitable management measures are suggested to improve the water quality.