Assessment of Groundwater Quality and Rating for Potability and Palatability at Selected Points in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Keywords:
Water Quality Index, Potability, Palatability, Physico-chemical parameters, Correlation analysis, Industrial contamination, Drinking water assessmentAbstract
This study assesses groundwater quality in Visakhapatnam, a major coastal city in Andhra Pradesh, India, with emphasis on potability and palatability. Twenty bore-well samples from industrial, residential, and commercial zones were analyzed for key physico-chemical parameters including pH, salinity, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), chlorides, total hardness, iron, nitrate, and sulphates. The Water Quality Index (WQI) calculated using the weighted arithmetic index method ranged from 40.46 to 69.41, classifying the groundwater as good to poor. Approximately 55 % of samples fell into the poor category, while the remainder were rated good. TDS-based palatability classification showed that 70 % of samples were good to fair, and 10 % were poor, mainly in industrial areas. Strong positive correlations were observed among EC, TDS, and chlorides, indicating common contamination sources. Although most parameters were within BIS (2012) and WHO (2017) limits, localized exceedances of TDS and hardness were detected in industrial and densely populated regions. The findings highlight that groundwater in Visakhapatnam is generally suitable for drinking, with certain pockets requiring treatment and regular monitoring.
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