International Conference on Breakthrough in Engineering, Science & Technology 2016 (INC-BEST16)

Assessment of Groundwater Quality at Avadi, Chennai.

A. Latha1, V.T. Anubharathi2, C. Deepika3 R. Jayanthi4
1. Department of civil engineering, Panimalar Engineering College, Chennai 123.

2. Department of civil engineering, Panimalar Engineering College, Chennai 123.

3. Department of civil engineering, Panimalar Engineering College, Chennai 123.

4. Department of civil engineering, Panimalar Engineering College, Chennai 123.

ABSTRACT 2. SAMPLING

Various samples of groundwater were collected Avadi is a suburb of Chennai and a municipality
from different areas of Avadi,Chennai, India and in Thiruvallur district in the state of TamilNadu,
analyzed for their physio-chemical characteristics. India. Situated about 23 km North West of
Results were compared with the standard
desirable limits of World Health Organization Chennai, it is surrounded by major defence
(WHO) and Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) and establishments. The neighborhood is served by
Central Public Health and Environmental Avadi railway station of the Chennai Suburban
Engineering Organization (CPHEEO). In this Railway.As of 2011, the town had a population of
analysis the various physio-chemical parameters 345,996.The mean sea level trend is 0.32
viz.., pH, TDS, total hardness, chloride, SO42-, millimeters/years with a 95% confidence interval
total alkalinity, color, etc., were analyzed of +/-0.37 mm/year based on monthly mean sea
according to standard water analysis methods level from 1916 to 2008 which is equivalent to a
(APHA). Thus an attempt has been made to find change of 0.10 feet in 100 years. Longitude of
the quality of groundwater in Avadi. Avadi is 8066.120E and Latitude of Avadi is
13656.160N.
Keywords: Ground water, Physio-chemical
parameters, APHA. Avadi is located at 13.12N 80.1E. It covers an
area of 65 km and has an average elevation of
1. INTRODUCTION 17 meters (55 foot). Avadi has a lake which lies
right behind the Tamil Nadu Housing Board
Water is a prime natural resource, basic human (TNHB). This lake is of length of 2.64kilometers.
need and precious national asset (National Water Ground water samples of hand pump, tube well
Policy, 1987). Most of the urban and rural areas and open wells were collected from two sampling
of India are compelled to switch over to stations viz.., 3rd street and 21st street. Samples
groundwater resources due to the accelerated were collected in good quality polythene bottles of
pace of industrialization, rapid growth of one liter capacity without adding any
population, receding surface aquifers and their preservatives. In the study area these are the
probable contamination, Hence, there is always a only source of drinking water.
need for and concern over the protection and
management of groundwater quality. It is Table 1: Location of sampling at Avadi,
available in the forms as surface water and sub- Chennai
surface water or groundwater. Surface water is
predominantly used for public water supply S.N Sampling Cod Source
systems. However, the rapid growth of population Location e
rd
and the resultant.Increased demand of water, 1 3 Street S1 Open well
rd
2 3 Street S2 Tube well
necessitated for the usage of groundwater to rd
3 3 Street S3 Hand pump
augment the existing water supply systems, in st
4 21 Street A1 Open well
most of the cities in the country. Secondly, the 5
st
21 Street A2 Tube well
growing urbanization and industrialization and the 6
st
21 Street A3 Hand pump
consequent pollution of surface water sources,
also increased the necessity of using 3. METHOD OF ANALYSIS
groundwater for various domestic and industrial
purposes. Analysis were carried out for various water quality
parameters such as pH, total solids, hardness,
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 International Conference on Breakthrough in Engineering, Science & Technology 2016 (INC-BEST16)

taste, Odour, clarity, turbidity, conductivity as per 6.8

standard methods for water and waste water of
6.6
American Public Health Association (APHA).The
pH and conductivity were determined by pH 6.4
meter and conductivity meter respectively. 6.2

pH
Calcium hardness and total hardness were 6
determined by the EDTA titration method. 5.8
Chloride (Cl-) by argentometric titration method 5.6
and total alkalinity (TA) was determined using the
5.4
titration method.
5.2
Table 2: Physico-chemical Parameters of S1 A1 S2 A2 S3 A3
Groundwater Samples

PARAMETERS Sources: Chennai Fig 2 (b) Variations of pH for different sampling

Open well Tube well Hand pump
S1 A1 S2 A2 S3 A3
Color CL CL CL CL CL CL
Taste B N N N N N
Turbidity (NTU) 0.3 0.25 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2
pH 6.63 6.5 6.4 6.3 5.90 5.8
Total hardness 442 440 600 602 20 22
Total alkalinity 52 50 38 40 BDL BDL
Total solids 762 750 660 680 73 70
Dissolved solids 756 748 658 660 71 74
Suspended 6 5 2 3 2 3 700
solids
TOTAL HARDNESS

600
Calcium 300 298 315 330 15 18
hardness 500
Magnesium 142 145 286 280 4 5
hardness 400
Sulphate 204 210 201 200 10 15
300
chloride 285 300 240 220 17 25
Note: CL-Colorless; B-Bitter; N-Normal; BDL- Below 200
Detectable Limit
100
0
0.35 S1 A1 S2 A2 S3 A3
0.3
TURBIDITY (NTU)

0.25
Fig 3 (c) Variations of total hardness for different
0.2 sampling
0.15
60
0.1
TOTAL ALKALINITY

0.05 50
0 40
S1 A1 S2 A2 S3 A3
30
Fig.1(a)Variations of turbidity for different
sampling 20

10

0
S1 A1 S2 A2 S3 A3

Fig 4 (d) Variations of total alkalinity for different

sampling
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 International Conference on Breakthrough in Engineering, Science & Technology 2016 (INC-BEST16)

900 350
800
300

CALCIUM HARDNESS
700
TOTAL SOLIDS

600 250
500 200
400
150
300
200 100
100 50
0
0
S1 A1 S2 A2 S3 A3
S1 A1 S2 A2 S3 A3

Fig 5 (e) Variations of total solids for different

sampling Fig 8 (h) Variations of calcium hardness for
different sampling
800
250
700
DISSOLVED SOLIDS

600 200
500
SULPHATE

150
400
300 100
200
50
100
0 0
S1 A1 S2 A2 S3 A3 S1 A1 S2 A2 S3 A3

Fig 6 (f) Variations of dissolved solids for different Fig 9 (i) Variations of sulphate for different
sampling
sampling
7
350
MAGNESIUM HARDNESS
SUSPENDED SOLIDS

6
300
5
250
4
200
3
150
2
100
1
50
0
S1 A1 S2 A2 S3 A3 0
S1 A1 S2 A2 S3 A3

Fig 7 (g) Variations of suspended solids for

different sampling Fig 10 (j) Variations of magnesium hardness for
different sampling

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 International Conference on Breakthrough in Engineering, Science & Technology 2016 (INC-BEST16)

(mg/l)
350
10 Calcium Hardness 75 75 200
300 (mg/l)
11 Magnesium 50 30 150
250 Hardness (mg/l)
CHLORIDE

12 Sulphate 200 200 400

200
150 13 Chloride 250 250 1000

100
50 Turbidity:
0 The taste of all water samples is normal except
S1 A1 S2 A2 S3 A3 S1. All samples are colorless. Turbidity of the
samples is within the desirable limit. It is
represented in Fig 1.
Fig 11 (k) Variations of chloridefor different
sampling pH:

The pH value of the water samples under study is

between 5.8 to 6.63. The values of samples S2,
A2, S3, and A3 were below the permissible limit
(figure 2) indicating that they are acidic. It is
represented in Fig 2.
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Characterization of the physico-chemical

parameters of groundwater samples from
different locations of Avadi Chennai (3rd and 21st
street) is reported in Table 2. The experimental
results are compared with the standard limits Total Hardness:
recommended by the World Health Organization
(WHO), Central Public Health Environmental Hardness is very important property of
Engineering Organization (CPHEEO) and Bureau groundwater from utility point of view from
of Indian Standards (BIS) are represented in different purposes including cleaning. Standard
Table 3. permissible limit as specified in CPHEEO is 300
mg/l. Total hardness of open well and tube pump
Table 3: Comparison of Chemical parameters quite higher than the tolerance limit are
with water quality standard represented in Fig 3.

STANDARDS OF Total alkalinity:

GROUNDWATER
Alkalinity of water samples provides an idea of
S.N PARAMETERS WHO BIS CPHEEO natural salts present in the water. Alkalinity in
1 Color - - - itself is not harmful to human beings. Water
samples have low alkalinity and within the
2 Taste - - -
desirable limits. It is represented in Fig 4.
3 Turbidity - - -
Total solids, dissolved solids and suspended
4 Ph 6.5-8.5 6.5-8.5 6.5-9.2 solids:

5 Total Hardness 300 300 300 According to CPHEEO the desirable limit of Total
(mg/l) solids 500mg/l. Water samples S1, A1, S2, and
6 Total Alkalinity - 200- - A2 are higher than the permissible limits. This
600
7 Total Solids (mg/l) 500 500 500 may be due to the groundwater pollution by the
residential waste. It is represented in Fig 5,6,7.
8 Dissolved Solids 500 500 500
(mg/l) Calcium and Magnesium hardness:
9 Suspended Solids - - -

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 International Conference on Breakthrough in Engineering, Science & Technology 2016 (INC-BEST16)

They are the temporary hardness and can be [4] Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi, 1991
removed simply by boiling the water. Permissible Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality.
limit of Calcium is 200mg/l as per CPHEEO
samples S1, A1, S2, and A2 are above the
permissible limits. Permissible limit of Magnesium
is 150mg/l as per CPHEEO samples S1, A2 are [5]CGBW, (2010): Central Ground Water Board of
above the allowable limits. It is represented in Fig India Groundwater quality in Shallow aquifers of
8,10. India.
Sulphate and Chloride:

Sulphate and Chloride causes permanent

hardness which is not removed by simple boiling [6]Cornelia Muntean, PetruNegrea,
of water. All the water samples are within the MihaelaCiopec, LaviniaLupa, Loan Ursoiu,
permissible limits. So, the water is suitable for GianninMosoarca and Ramona Ghiga (2006):
bathing and washing. It is represented in Fig 9,11. Studies Regarding the Ground water Pollution in
a Rural Area, Chem. Bull, POLITEHNICA, Vol.51
CONCLUSION:
(65), 1-2, Pp.75-78.
The overall perusal of data clearly indicate that
the water from open well, tube well and hand
pump of Avadi, Chennai showed a high hardness,
high solid content that the desirable limits of [7]G.Raja and P.Venkatesan (2010): Assessment
CPHEEO. The water can be treated and used. In of Groundwater Pollution and its impact in and
case of drinking, the water should be boiled and around Punnam Area of Karur District,
utilized. Environmental awareness program for Tamilnadu, India, E-Journal of Chemistry,
health implication should be emphasized through Vol.7(2), Pp.473-478.
education of the public and community
participation.

[8]Harender Raj Gautam and Rohitashav Kumar

(2010): Better Groundwater Management can
Usher in India into Second Green Revolution,
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