Spatial and temporal evaluation of geochemistry of groundwater for drinking purpose using gis in rasipuram taluk, Tamil Nadu, South India Mageshkumar P.1,*, Anandakumar S.2 1K. S. Rangasamy College of Technology, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India 2Kongu Engineering College, Erode, Tamil Nadu, India *Email: mageshee@gmail.com
Online published on 22 May, 2019. Abstract The study was carried out to evaluate the physico-chemical characteristics of groundwater samples collected during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons in Rasipuram Taluk in Tamil Nadu State, India. The concentration of magnesium, manganese, carbonate, trace elements coupled with pH, were found to be well within the safe limits for drinking purpose though electrical conductivity, nitrate, iron, potassium concentration and total hardness exceed the limits prescribed by World Health Organization (WHO, 2004) standards. Spatial distribution of groundwater quality in the form of thematic maps was prepared by inverse distance weighted interpolation technique using Geographical Information System (GIS). The Water Quality Index (WQI) map, prepared by integrating the thematic layers on each quality parameter with suitable weights, showed that 36% of the total area falls under good category of groundwater quality for drinking during pre-and post-monsoon seasons. Gibb's (1970) plot implied that groundwater chemistry in the study area was largely rock dominated. The quality of groundwater in the area of study can be improved by incorporating appropriate rain water harvesting to aid in dilution as well as to reduce the conjunctive demand of groundwater during non-rainy seasons. Top Keywords Groundwater Geochemistry, Water Quality Index (WQI), Geographical Information System (GIS), Rasipuram Taluk, Tamil Nadu. Top |