Assessment of Groundwater Quality and Its Suitability for Drinking and Irrigation in Telangana.India

Puliventla Rajanikanth; Naveen Kumar Singh

doi:10.69980/redvet.v27i1.2370

Puliventla Rajanikanth
Naveen Kumar Singh

DOI: https://doi.org/10.69980/redvet.v27i1.2370

Keywords: Groundwater, Drinking water quality, Irrigation suitability, Telangana, Water quality index, Hydrochemistry

Abstract

Groundwater is the primary source of drinking and irrigation water in Telangana due to limited surface water resources and growing demand from agriculture, industry, and domestic sectors. This study evaluates the physico-chemical and biological quality of groundwater and assesses its suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes. Water samples from various districts of Telangana were analyzed for key parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), hardness, major cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺), major anions (HCO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻, Cl⁻, NO₃⁻), and heavy metals. The results were compared with WHO and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) guidelines for drinking water. Irrigation water quality was assessed using sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), and permeability index (PI). The study reveals that groundwater quality varies significantly across Telangana, with some regions exhibiting high salinity and nitrate contamination, making them unsuitable for direct consumption or long-term irrigation without treatment or management interventions.

Author Biographies

Puliventla Rajanikanth

Research Scholar, School of Natural and Applied Science Vikrant University Gwalior MP India

Naveen Kumar Singh

Dean, School of Natural and Applied Science Vikrant University Gwalior MP India

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