Assessment of Groundwater Pollution with Heavy Metals based on Pollution Index and Investigation of Groundwater Quality Using Water Quality Index in Western Nile Delta, Egypt

Evaluation of ground water in Al-Beheira Governorate (Western Nile Delta), Egypt; assessment of groundwater qualityof 12 wells for drinking purposes, assessment of heavy metals, estimation of water quality index, heavy metal pollution index, and heavy metal evaluation index had been carried out. Biological and physico-chemical parameters of different wells at different zones were analyzed. All wells under consideration are free from feascal coliform and organisms. The values of all physico-chemical parameters for 12 wells under consideration are found to be less than the maximum permissible limits except wells No.2, 4, 6, 8 and 11. They are containing greater manganese than the recommended level in drinking water as listed by World Health Organization (WHO) and Egyptian Ministry Health (EMH) Water Quality Standards. Well No. 2 also has greater lead content than the recommended level in drinking water as listed by WHO and EMH. Removal of manganese of wells No.2, 4, 6, 8 and 11 and lead of well No. 2 is recommended before using these wells for drinking purposes. According to WHO standards and on the basis of the WQI values, in the parts including wells No.1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 of the study area, water fall into good water category; which is 41.66% of the total area. The excellent water in the study area is about 25% including wells 6, 10, and 12. Wells No. 4 and 8 are classified as poor water quality; whereas wells No. 2 and 11 are classified as very poor water quality in the study area; which is about 33.34 %.According to EDWS, in the parts which include wells No. 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 12 of the study area, water fall into excellent water category which is 66.66 % of the total area; while good water is about 25 % of the total area and include wells No. 2, 4 and 8. The well No. 11 is classified as poor water quality, which is about 8.34 % of the total area, thus all wells under consideration are suitable for drinking, except well No. 11.According to heavy metal pollution index (HPI); all wells in study area were classified as low heavy metals, except well No. 2; where heavy metal pollution is high and its water not potable. While, according to heavy metal evaluation index (HEI), all wells under consideration are classified as low heavy metals content.