Journal of Environmental Biology

Assessment of well water quality in Tsunami affected regions

of south-west coast of Kerala, India

G. Achuthan Nair¹*, R. Pratap Chandran², B. Sukumar³, S. Santhosh⁴,

Vijayamohanan⁵  and V. Sobha⁶ 

¹Chair of Sustainable Development, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Regional Centre, Thiruvananthapuram - 695 002, India

²Department of Biotechnology and Research, K. V. M. College of Engineering and I T, Kokkothamangalam, Cherthala - 688 583, India

³ IGNOU Regional Centre, Thiruvananthapuram - 695 002, India

⁴Department of Zoology, M. M. NSS College, Kollam district - 691 571 , India

⁵Department of Zoology, BJM Govt. College, Chavara, Kollam district - 691 583, India

⁶Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram - 695 021, India

*Corresponding Author email : trivandrum46@gmail.com

Publication Data

Paper received:

28 September 2011

Revised received:

14 March 2012

Re-revised received:

19 June 2012

Accepted:

04 August 2012

Abstract

The quality of well waters, based on 23 parameters of water, at 12 stations of south-west coast of Kerala, India, was assessed during monsoon, 2009 and summer, 2010, to determine their suitability for drinking and other domestic purposes. The stations selected were grouped into four regions viz. least, slightly, moderately and severely affected ones based on the severity of 2004 Asian Tsunami at each station.  The depths of wells showed variations depending on the seasons and on their distance from the seacoast. The average water temperatures during monsoon and summer seasons were 28.5oC and 30.2oC respectively. The pH of well waters were below 6.5 in least and slightly affected regions and above this value in moderately and severely affected regions. In all the four regions, the well water parameters of electrical conductivity, hardness, fluoride, free chlorine, copper, zinc, calcium and nickel were below, and phosphorus, lead, iron cadmium and manganese were above the standard permissible levels set for them in drinking water. The values of salinity, sodium and potassium in the well waters of moderately and severely affected regions, and the values of nitrate-nitrogen, nitrate and magnesium in the well waters of severely affected regions were above the permissible limits set for them in drinking water. Water quality index calculated on the basis of drinking water standards revealed that the well waters of least and slightly affected regions were moderately polluted in both monsoon and summer seasons and the same of moderately affected region were excessively polluted during monsoon and severely polluted during summer seasons, whereas the well waters of severely affected regions were severely polluted in both seasons.  Suitable recommendations were made to improve the quality of well waters of least and slightly affected regions.

Key words

South-west coast of Kerala, Tsunami, Water quality index, Well water

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