Current World Environment

Vol. 10(2), 602-609 (2015)

Assessment of Groundwater Quality using GIS:

A Case Study of Walayar Watershed,
Parambikulam-Aliyar-Palar Basin, Tamilnadu, India
K. BALATHANDAYUTHAM1, C. MAYILSWAMI2 and D. TAMILMANI3

Department of Soil and Water Conservation Engineering, AEC & RI, India.
1

2
Professor, Water Technology Centre, India.
3
Professor (SWCE), AEC & RI, Kumulur, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India.

http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CWE.10.2.25

(Received: May 07, 2015; Accepted: June 22, 2015)

Abstract

Good groundwater quality is essential for crop yield, soil productivity and environmental
protection. Suitability of groundwater for irrigation purposes is determined by its geochemistry.
Groundwater geochemistry explains links between chemical composition of groundwater and
subsurface geological and non-geological pollutants. Subsurface rock formations control the
composition of soil and hence that of water and vegetation. The ground water samples were analyzed
for physico-chemical parameters like Electrical Conductivity (EC), Hydrogen ion concentration (pH),
Bicarbonate (HCO3-), Calcium (Ca2+), Magnesium (Mg2+), Sodium (Na+), Potassium (K+), Sulphate
(SO42-), Nitrate (NO3-), and Chloride (Cl-). Inverse distance weighted method of the Geographical
Information Systems is used to prepare the distribution map of physio-chemical parameters of
groundwater while overlay method is used to assess spatial, temporal changes and prepare
groundwater quality zones of Walayar watershed in Parambikulam-Aliyar-Palar basin situated in
Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India. The results of study show that the quality of groundwater
varies both spatially and temporally in Walayar watershed. The groundwater samples in some of the
wells showed deviation from water quality standards indicating groundwater contamination. Hence,
proper care must be taken to avoid any contamination of groundwater and its quality be monitored
periodically.

Key words: Groundwater, water quality, assessment, GIS, physicochemical parameters.

Introduction Groundwater, being a fragile and important

source of drinking water, must therefore be carefully
Groundwater resources are highly essential managed to maintain its purity within standard
to the survival of human beings, particularly in limits. Groundwater degradation occurs when
areas where other sources of potable water are its quality parameters are changed beyond their
lacking. However, many sources of contamination natural variations by the introduction or removal of
contribute to the impairment of this precious certain substances (Ramesh, 2001). In regions of
resource. The major sources of spot and dispersive intense agricultural activities, the degradation results
contaminants arising from human activities on the from the addition of salts by dissolution during the
ground and penetration of these contaminants into irrigation process, from salts added as fertilizers
the ground tend to reduce the quality of the ground or soil amendments and from the concentration of
water. Therefore, preventing the ground water from salts by evapotranspiration. Because irrigation is the
contamination is essential to the management of primary use of water in arid and semi-arid regions,
ground water resources (Melloul & Collin, 1994). irrigation return flow can be the major cause of
603 BALATHANDAYUTHAM et al., Curr. World Environ., Vol. 10(2), 602-609 (2015)

groundwater pollution in such regions. Groundwater part of plain is Koduvadi Aru, starts at an elevation of
can become contaminated naturally or because of 445 m above MSL and Walayar river at the northern
numerous types of human activities; residential, part of the basin area ie. in the Balampatti Block
municipal, commercial, industrial, and agricultural Reserved Forest and hilly area at an altitude of 1135
activities can all affect groundwater quality (Jalali, m above MSL. Walayar and Koduvadi Aru are flowing
2005). in south and southwest directions. The major crop
grown in this sub- basin area is coconut, sugarcane,
In a drinking water quality assessment, banana, mango, fodder, paddy, groundnut, cotton,
the decision-making based on water quality data vegetables, pulses, tomato and maize.
is a crucial issue because number of parameters
compromises its quality. Traditionally, water resource Methodology
professionals communicated drinking water quality As part of the study, the groundwater
status by comparing the individual parameters with samples from open and bore wells of various
guideline values. While this technical language is too locations (18 sites) which are extensively used
technical and it is not a decision to provide a whole for drinking and also irrigation purposes in the
picture of drinking water quality (Cude, 2001). Quality Walayar watershed area were collected during the
of groundwater is equally important to its quantity year of 2011 to 2014.The locations of groundwater
owing to the suitability of water for various sampling stations are shown in the Fig.1. The
purposes. Variation of groundwater quality in an area locations of groundwater sampling stations are
is a function of physical and chemical parameters that shown in the Fig. 1. pH and Electrical Conductance
are generally influenced by geological formations (EC) were measured on-site using portable meters
and anthropogenic activities (Subramani et al., (Kusam-Meco Company, 6011, 6021). Collected
2005). Advancement of Geographical Information samples were brought to the laboratory, Ca and
System (GIS) and Spatial Analysis help to integrate Mg were determined titrimetrically using standard
the laboratory analysis data with the geographic data EDTA, Na and K by Elico flame photometer (CL
and to model the spatial distributions of water quality 378), and chloride was determined by silver nitrate
parameters, most robustly and accurately. Now GIS titration. Sulphate was determined gravimetrically
is increasingly being integrated with groundwater by precipitating BaSO4 from BaCl2. (APHA, 2012)
and surface water quality assessment models. GIS and compared with standard values recommended
can be used as tool for spatial surveillance by WHO-World Health Organization (2011). SPSS
of epidemiological diseases and also as a 11.5 using to calculate statistical analysis of Physical
spatial decision support system for public health and chemical parameters of the study area is shown
management. The spatial patterns of chemical in Table 1.
constituents are useful in deciding the water
use strategies for various purposes (Shankar et GIS can be a powerful tool for developing
al., 2010). Assessing and monitoring the quality solutions for water resources problems for assessing
of groundwater is therefore, important to ensure water quality, determining water availability,
sustainable safe use of these resources for the preventing flooding, understanding the natural
various purposes. The objective of the study is to environment, and managing water resources on a
assess and map the groundwater quality of Walayar local or regional scale (Collet 1996). Spatial analysis
watershed of Parambikulam-Aliyar-Palar basin. module in Arc GIS (version 9.2) software has been
used for the present study. The base map was
Study Area prepared using toposheet on 1:50,000 scale. Spatial
Walayar watershed is one of the three sub- analysis of drinking water quality was carried out by
basins in Parambikulam-Aliyar-Palar basin situated interpolation of sampling points by the algorithmic
in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India and lies method Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW). The
between 104000" to 102000" N latitude and locations of the sampling stations were imported
765000" to 77 2000" E longitude. It spread over into GIS software as point layer. Each sample point
an area of 877.49 km2. In Walayar sub-basin, there was assigned by a number and stored in the point
are two streams originating one at the north eastern attribute table. The attribute data file contains values
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of all physico-chemical parameters in separate enrichment of salt in groundwater may possibly

columns for each sampling station. The geodatabase be due to evaporation effect and anthropogenic
was used to generate the spatial distribution maps including agricultural activities. The higher values of
of the analyzed water quality parameters like pH, EC may be due to long residence time and existing
Electrical Conductivity, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), lithology of the region (Ballukraya and Ravi, 1999).
Chloride, Sulphate, Calcium, Magnesium, Fluoride,
Bicarbonate, Total Hardness, Nitrate and the results Calcium
were given. Calcium is one of the most abundant
substances in the water. Dissolve calcium and
Results and Discussion Magnesium in water are the two most common
minerals that make water hard. Calcium the analysed
pH samples various from 15 to 81 mg/l (Fig.4). In the
The pH of a solution is the negative study area, majority of the samples fall within the
logarithm of hydrogen ion concentration in moles permissible limit (75 mg/L). Insufficiency of calcium
per liter. In general, pH is the measure of acidity or causes severe rickets; excess causes concretions
alkalinity of water. It is one of the most important in the body such as kidney or bladder stones and
operational water quality parameters with the irritation in urinary passages (CPCB 2008).
optimum pH required often being in the range of 7.0-
8.5 (Tikle et al., 2012). pH is important parameter, Magnesium
which determines the suitability of water for various Magnesium is present in the groundwater
purposes. In the study area pH level of water varies from natural sources like granitic terrain which
from 7.25 to 7.96 (Fig. 2). This shows that the contain large concentration of these elements. The
groundwater in the study area is slightly alkaline in Magnesium values of the analysed samples ranges
nature and is between the maximum permissible from 15.84 to 127.92 mg/L with an average value of
limits of WHO standards. The slight alkalinity may 62.25 mg/L (Fig.5). The geochemistry of the rock
be due to the presence of bicarbonate ions, which types may have an influence in the concentration of
are produced by the free combination of CO2 with Mg in groundwater. High concentration of magnesium
water to form carbonic acid, which affects the pH of may cause laxative effect (CPCB 2008).
the water (Azeez et al, 2000).
Sodium
Electrical Conductivity (EC) Sodium is the most important minerals
occurring naturally. The major source of sodium
The Electrical conductivity is its measure is weathering of rocks besides the sewage and
of importance to salinity; which greatly affects the industrial effluents discharge onto the ground. Higher
taste. Thus Electrical conductivity has a significant values of sodium are found in the groundwater in the
impact on determining the portability of water. The areas of saline water intrusion. In general, sodium
Electrical conductivity of water at 25C is due to the salts are not actually toxic substances to humans
presence of various dissolved salts (Thangavelu, because of the efficiency with which mature kidneys
2013). It is directly related to concentration of excrete sodium (Swarna Latha and Nageswara Rao,
ionized substances in water and may also be 2010). Na is one of the important naturally occurring
related to problems of excessive hardness. The cations and its concentration in fresh waters is
EC values in the study area vary widely from 510 generally lower than that of Ca and Mg. But in the
S/cm to 4130 S/cm with an average value of present investigation, the average concentration of
1679.55 S/cm (Fig.3). The higher EC may cause a Na is comparatively higher than that of Ca and Mg.
gastrointestinal irritation in human beings. Although The sodium concentration various from 30.59 to
the large variation in EC is mainly attributed to 298.08 mg/L with an average value of 131.58 mg/L
geochemical process like ion exchange, reverse (fig .6). For aesthetic reason, the guideline value
exchange, evaporation, silicate weathering, rock given by WHO are 200 mg/L. Excess of sodium in
water interaction, sulphate reduction and oxidation drinking water may be harmful to persons suffering
processes (Ramesh 2008), in the study area the from cardiac, renal, and circulatory diseases
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(CPCB 2008). Excess sodium causes hypertension, analysed samples various from 2.34 to 59.28 with
congenial diseases, kidney disorders and nervous an average value of 17.04 mg/L (Fig.7). Potassium
disorders in human body (Ramesh and Elango, contamination in groundwater can result from the
2011). According to Hem (1985), high values application of inorganic fertilizer at greater than
of sodium in groundwater may either be due to agronomic rates. Loss of nutrients, including K, from
chemical weathering of feldspars or over exploitation agricultural land have been identified as one of the
of groundwater resources. main causative factors in reducing water quality in
many parts of arid and semi-arid regions (Jalali,
Potassium 2005).
Potassium is slightly less common than
sodium in igneous rocks, but more abundant in all Chloride
the sedimentary rocks. Potassium is an essential Chloride is one of the most important
element for plants and animals. The elements parameter in assessing the water quality and
present in plant material and are lost from agricultural higher concentration of chloride indicates higher
soil by crop harvesting and removal as well as degree of organic pollution (Yogendra and Puttaiah,
leaching and runoff on organic residues (Swarna 2008). According to WHO the permissible limit of
Latha and Nageswara Rao, 2010). Potassium the chloride in drinking water is 200 (Fig.8). The chloride

Fig.1: Locations of groundwater sampling Fig. 2: Spatial distribution of pH

stations

Table 1: Statistical analyses of physical and chemical parameters

Parameter Unit Min Max Average Std. Deviation Std. Error

EC s/cm 510 4130 1679.55 838.83 197.71

pH - 7.25 7.96 7.6 0.23 0.05
HCO3 mg/L 109.8 555.1 301.95 129.40 30.50
Cl mg/L 40.12 498.07 241.88 135.79 32.01
SO4 mg/L 12.96 189.6 44 49.43 11.65
Ca mg/L 15 81 40.34 20.04 4.72
K mg/L 2.34 59.28 17.04 15.16 3.57
Mg mg/L 15.84 127.92 62.25 26.42 6.23
Na mg/L 30.59 298.08 131.58 70.56 16.63
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concentration varies from 40.12 mg/L to 498.07 at concentration up 50 mg/L and concentration of
mg/L. The average value is 241.88 mg/L. Eight 1000 mg/L can find in the water having contact
samples exceeded the maximum allowable limit of with certain geological formations such as pyrite,
250 mg/L. In natural waters, the probable sources of lignite and coal (Sridhar et al., 2014), whereas the
chloride comprise the leaching of chloride-containing maximum permissible limit of 250 mg/l (WHO, 2011).
minerals (like apatite) and rocks with which the water Spatial distribution of sulphate in the groundwater
comes in contact, inland salinity and the discharge of the study area shows that Sulphate is varying in
of agricultural, industrial and domestic wastewaters between 12.96 to 189.60 mg/L. The average value
(Abbasi, 1998). is 44.00 mg/L (Fig.9). High sulphate concentration in
drinking water causes gastrointestinal irritation with
Sulphate Mg or Na can have a cathartic effect on consumers.
Sulphate is found in small quantities in Concentrations of more than 750 mg/l, along with
ground water. Sulphate may come into groundwater Mg, may have laxative effect (CPCB 2008). Samples
by industrial or anthropogenic additions in the form of with higher concentration of sulphate in drinking
Sulphate fertilizers. Sulphates occur in natural waters water are associated with respiratory problems
(Subramani et al., 2010).

Fig. 3: Spatial distribution of EC Fig. 4: Spatial distribution of Calcium

Fig. 5: Spatial distribution of Magnesium Fig. 6: Spatial distribution of Sodium

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Bicarbonate Conclusion
The bicarbonate (HCO3) concentration
in the groundwater varies from 109.80 to 555.10 Water is an indispensable natural resource
mg/l with an average value of 301.95 mg/L (Fig.10). on earth. Groundwater is the major source of
The primary source of carbonate and bicarbonate drinking water in both urban and rural areas.
ions in groundwater is the dissolution of carbonate Increasing population and its necessities have
minerals in the study area. The decay of organic lead to the deterioration of surface and subsurface
matter present in the soil releases CO2. Water water. Groundwater quality depends on the quality
charged with CO2 dissolves carbonate minerals, as it of recharged water, atmospheric precipitation and
passes through soils and rocks to give bicarbonates. inland surface water. The groundwater quality is
Bicarbonates also show high positive correlation with equally important as that of quantity. Assessing and
alkalinity (Flood, 1996). monitoring the quality of groundwater is therefore,
important to ensure sustainable safe use of these

Fig. 7: Spatial distribution of potassium Fig. 8: Spatial distribution of Chloride

Fig. 9: Spatial distribution of Sulphate Fig. 10: Spatial distribution of bicarbonate

 BALATHANDAYUTHAM et al., Curr. World Environ., Vol. 10(2), 602-609 (2015) 608

resources for the various purposes. The present effectively. This study demonstrates that the use of
study has been undertaken to analyze the spatial GIS could pro-vide useful information for groundwater
variation of major groundwater quality parameters quality assessment. The results obtained gave the
such as pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total necessity of making the public, local administrator
Dissolved Solids, Total hardness, Sulphates, and the government to be aware on the crisis of poor
Fluorides and Calcium using GIS. GIS can provide groundwater quality prevailing in the area. The study
appropriate platform for convergent analysis of helps us to understand the quality of the water as
large volume of multi-disciplinary data and decision well as to develop suitable management practices
making for groundwater based studies can be done to protect the groundwater resources.

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