Physico-Chemical Quality of Some Spring Water Samples through Correlation Studies in Four Mandals of Tribal Area of Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh, India

ABSTRACT: Water is very crucial with the allusion of public health conditions. Water quality assessment was performed by collecting spring samples from four Mandals of tribal areas of Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh. The study was conducted to evaluate the physico-chemical quality of some spring water sources based on the consumption of tribal community. Ten samples were collected and analysed for physical-chemical quality for pH, Electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), calcium hardness (CaH), magnesium hardness (MgH), Total alkalinity (TA), chlorides (Cl), fluoride (F), nitrates (NO3), sulphate (SO42), phosphates(PO4), Dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and Turbidity in pre and post monsoon seasons, the correlation studies indicate that high strong correlation of calcium with total hardness (0.70) and nitrates with phosphates (0.74) in pre monsoon season, a strong correlation was observed with DO and BOD (0.82) turbidity with phosphate (0.76) in post monsoon season. The result indicate that the some of the parameters like EC, turbidity, TDS, total hardness, total hardness, calcium, magnesium and DO are above the limits of WHO and BIS (ISO:100500) limits in pre and post monsoon season, mostly in post monsoon period and some parameters are found to be normally high. Hence the spring water is not favoured for drinking mostly in post monsoon period and required treatment or to look for other sources (bore wells) than springs in this area.