PHYSICO-CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF SELECTED GROUNDWATER SAMPLES FROM SIKANDRA RAO TOWN AND ITS ADJOINING VILLAGES (HATHRAS DISTRICT) UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA

Water is an essential component for the existence of life on the planet earth. It is a tasteless, odourless, and nearly colorless liquid. In some way or the other, it also full fills the need of minerals in our body up to a certain limit. But the anthropogenic activities leads to the imbalance of these minerals in water resulting in degradation of its quality. Today, it is a known fact that the groundwater quality is degrading day by day which is a serious matter of concern, as poor quality water pose threats to health and hygiene of living beings. Good quality of water is of utmost importance for survival of man and animals. The present study aimed at assessing the status of the groundwater in Sikandra Rao and its adjoining villages. In the light of aforesaid facts, it becomes necessary to assess the current groundwater quality in study area on the ground of various parameters such as temperature, pH (6.5-8.5), Turbidity (0.85 NTU-3.00 NTU), Electrical Conductivity (206 µS/m -931 µS/m ), Chloride (12 mg/l-52 mg/l), Total Hardness (102 mg/l -314 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (84 mg/l-370mg/l), Total Dissolved Solid (103 mg/l-464 mg/l) , Nitrate (0 mg/l -4.43 mg/l), Sulphate (26 mg/l-66 mg/l), Iron (0.02-0.07 mg/l) and Fluoride (0.08 mg/l-1.17 mg/l). The values of these parameters are found to be within the acceptable limits, below the acceptable limits as well as partially in the range, as prescribed by Bureau of India Standard (BIS) -10500-2012. Thus, the study reveals the need for proper and timely evaluation of groundwater quality and simultaneously highlights the urgency of the necessary steps to be taken for the preservations and up-gradation of water quality. Hence the drinking water quality in the study area is not scaled as per the standard values of the concern parameters and showing alarming levels of pollutants. Therefore it needs some degree of treatment before utilizing it for any consumption purpose.