Journal of Environmental Biology

Water quality assessment of open wells in and around chavara

industrial area, quilon, Kerala

C. Shaji*¹, H. Nimi¹ and L. Bindu²

¹Department of Botany, Sree Narayana College, Quilon, Kerala - 691 001, India

²Zoological Survey of India, M. Block, New Alipore, Kolkata - 700 053, India

(Received: February 02, 2008; Revised received: May 22, 2008; Accepted: July 29, 2008)

 

Abstract: Water quality of four open wells representing four localities around the Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd industrial area, Chavara, Quilon district was studied for a period of six months from December, 2006 to May 2007 to assess the suitability of the well waters for domestic purposes. The well waters exhibited high BOD (average values from 12.87-15.96 mg l^-1), COD (666.67 - 796.67 mg l^-1), TDS (500-1466.67 mg l^-1), total hardness (110-835 mg l^-1), nitrate (1.12 -4.97 mg l ^-1), calcium (30.59-271.22 mg l^-1), phosphate (0.19 -0.48 mg l^-1) and free CO₂ (49.13 - 102.47 mg l^-1) and low dissolved oxygen (2.63 - 3.13 mg l^-1). Heavy metal analysis revealed that the third and fourth wells are free from heavy metal pollution. Coliform test showed bacterial contamination in all the wells. The values of BOD, COD, TDS and phosphate exceeded the maximum permissible limits and the dissolved oxygen was much lower than the desirable limit in all the well waters. Hence all the four well waters are found unsuitable for domestic purposes as it is confirmed by water quality index. The use of waters of open wells in and around the industrial area may cause health hazards to nearby inhabitants.

Key words: Physico-chemical parameters, MPN coliform, Water quality index, Open wells, Pollution

 

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