Study Related to Groundwater Contamination of Sillanwali (District Sargodha) and its Health Impacts

Abstract

Pakistan is a country with water intensive economy as most of its farmland is irrigated through a canal system, but available resources are getting adversely affected due to issues like wastage of water, rapid population growth, deteriorating situation of dams, outdated canal system, expensive and improper ways of irrigation. On top of this, the available water which is being used for domestic purposes is contaminated by mixing of municipal sewage, industrial effluents and agricultural runoff. The core purpose of this study is to investigate presence of microbial contamination in groundwater, evaluation of different physico-chemical parameters of drinking water in an under developed area named as Sillanwali in district Sargodha and its effects on health and lifestyle of local inhabitants. In addition to this, the study would contribute for local administration to take necessary measures to protect water with contamination and provide clean and safe drinking water to people. The research work spanned for over six months and complete water quality analysis was performed including physico-chemical, microbial and heavy metals analysis. Almost 70 percent water samples collected from concerned areas were found polluted with fecal coliforms as a result of qualitative analysis done by MPN test. The samples were also sent to PCRWR for quantitative analysis based on membrane filtration method as per APHA standards and presence of coliforms was confirmed. While analyzing physico-chemical parameters and comparing them with WHO guidelines for drinking water quality, pH was found within range 7.10 to 8.14, EC ranged from 205.5 μS/cm to 1821 μS/cm, turbidity ranged from 1.22 NTU to 166.15 NTU where a decreasing trend indicated groundwater recharge, TDS ranged from 99.35 mg/L to 1897 mg/L, total chlorides had a range from 14.12 mg/L to 390 mg/ L. Most of the parameters were observed higher than the WHO guidelines, hence posing a risk to human health due to water pollution. BOD and COD was also analyzed and their values ranged from 1.36 mg/L to 16.88 mg/L and 3.28 mg/L to 32.72 mg/L respectively, which revealed mixing of waste in groundwater. The samples were also analyzed for heavy metals by ICP-OES and all the metals were found below limit of detection. Socio-demographic survey was also conducted through structured questionnaire keeping sample number as 450 and it illustrated that majority 44.8% are illiterate while 16.7% have primary education and about 50 percent population is aged between 19 and 39 years. The highest percentage income group 31.11% has monthly income of Rs. 8,000-11,000. A rising trend was found in medical cases being reported to surrounding hospitals over last 5 years due to consumption of contaminated water. The lack of hygiene and practice of open defecation is leading to the degradation of water quality, consequently the persistence of waterborne diseases in the neighborhoods of sub-rural municipalities, and there is a growing threat to the sustainability of existing water quality. The results of this study should encourage municipality policy and strategy on increasing the access to safely managed sanitation services in order to better protect surface water and groundwater sources, and limit the proliferation of epidemics to improve living standard of locals.