Qualitative Analysis of Drinking Water in Pollachi, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India

In the present investigation, the physico chemical parameters of bore well, open well and municipal water of Pollachi town was analysed from different consumer points during the period of May 2014 to April 2015. The samples were collected during pre monsoon, monsoon, post monsoon and summer for physico chemical analysis. The analytical survey of bore well water showed that the electrical conductivity (EC) (1456 to 1510 mMhos/cm), pH (7.1 to 7.3), calcium (76 to 88 mg/l), magnesium (30 to 32 mg/l), sodium (7 to 8 mg/l), potassium (7 to 8 mg/l), bicarbonate (628 to 648 mg/l), sulphate (20 to 22 mg/l), chloride (158 to 164 mg/l), nitrate (0 to 1 mg/l), total dissolved solids (833 to 841 mg/l) and alkalinity (525 to 535 mg/l). Open well water contains the electrical conductivity (1048 to 1062 mMhos/cm), pH (7.2 to 7.4), calcium (52 to 59 mg/l), magnesium (21 to 22 mg/l), sodium (127 to 130 mg/l), potassium (11 to 12 mg/l), bicarbonate (406 to 413 mg/l), sulphate (25 to 27 mg/l), chloride (80 to 83 mg/l), nitrate (59 to 64 mg/l), total dissolved solids (605 to 613 mg/l) and alkalinity 327 to 332 mg/l). The evaluation of municipal water registered the EC (183 to 188 mMhos/cm), pH (7.5 to7.6), calcium (14 to 15 mg/l), magnesium (6 to 7 mg/l), sodium (11 to 12 mg/l), potassium (4 to 5 mg/l), bicarbonate (102 to 104 mg/l), sulphate (nil), chloride (11 to 12 mg/l), nitrate (0 to 1 mg/l), total dissolved solids (103 to 108 mg/l) and alkalinity (83 to 85 mg/l). The parameters pH, sulphate, chloride and nitrate of bore well water were within the recommended quality standard and EC, calcium, magnesium, total dissolved solids and alkalinity exceeded the permissible limits. The results of well water survey indicated that the pH, calcium, magnesium, sulphate and chloride content were within the quality standards and the concentration of nitrate, total dissolved solids and alkalinity exceeded the standards. The quality of municipal water showed that except the concentration of EC all the other (calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, nitrate, total dissolved solids and alkalinity) parameters were within the drinking water quality standards. The order of quality standard of drinking water is municipal water supply open well bore well.