Ground water quality assessment using Canadian water quality index around Jurudi mining area, Odisha, India

The present research was aimed at assessing the ground water quality of the iron ore region around Jurudi, Keonjhar district of Odisha, India. In this study, five locations were fixed in and around the human habitation and sampling were done in three different seasons of a year to compare the seasonal variation. The samples were analyzed for the ground water quality parameters such as pH, temperature, conductivity, turbidity, total alkalinity, total hardness, chloride, calcium, magnesium, sulfate, nitrate, phosphate, total dissolved solid, sodium, potassium, copper, iron, manganese, aluminum, zinc, lead, cadmium, and chromium. The study revealed that for parameters like iron, manganese, lead, cadmium, chromium (mainly heavy metals) the concentration levels are above the Bureau of Indian standard. Bulk of the groundwater samples are characterized as magnesium bicarbonate type hydro-geochemical facies with a few mixed type facies. The concentration level of some parameters in the groundwater is variable with the change in the seasons. The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCME WQI) values for irrigation and aquatic life are 90 and 91 respectively suggesting that the water is good for these purposes. The drinking water used by the people residing in the area around Jurudi is portable as indicated by the CCME WQI value of 79 suggesting that the water is fair for this purpose. The results of the case study indicated that this water quality index is very simple and could be used as an effective tool to characterize the drinking source water quality.