Assessment of Groundwater Quality for Drinking and Irrigation Purposes in Warora Area of Central India

Warora area of central India exposes geological rock formations from Archean to Deccan age. It is known for the hydrothermal fluoride mineralization as well as coal mines, cement industries and coal based power plants. Therefore this area is most vulnerable for the groundwater contamination from lithological as well as anthropogenic sources. This paper aims to assess the suitability of groundwater in Warora area for drinking and irrigation purposes based on the accepted standards. Total 57 groundwater samples were collected from dug and bore wells during pre monsoon and post monsoon seasons. Groundwater chemistry shows bicarbonate as a most abundant anion in most of the locations in the study area. Chloride is the dominant anion followed by SO₄^2-> HCO₃^-> Cl^-, whereas cations show the following as K⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Na⁺ > Mg²⁺. Concentrations of TDS, hardness, PO₄, SO₄, NO₃ and F in several water samples are not suitable for human consumption as per the recommended BIS guidelines for drinking purposes. From irrigation point of view, the studied groundwater samples are hazardous for crops which show moderate to high salinity. RSC and SSP values in most of the samples show beyond permissible limits and indicated non-suitability for irrigation use. The high fluoride concentration has undesirable effects on the human health of the people lives in the study area and therefore preventive measures such as defluoridation or an alternative supply arrangement are suggested for the management of groundwater resources.