1Department of Civil Engineering, S.I.T., Tumkur –572103, (Presently working in BMS College of Engineering, Bangalore-560019), E-mail: rama_bmsce@yahoo.com.
2Karavali Institute of Technology, Neerumarga, Mangalore – 575023, E-mail: drcssit@yahoo.com.
3UGC-CAS, Department of Mathematics, Central College Campus, Bangalore University, Bangalore- 560 001.
*Corresponding author E-mail: rama_bmsce@yahoo.com
Groundwater quality in Tumkur taluk (Karnataka state, South India) has special significance and needs greater attention of all concerned since it is the major alternate source for domestic, industrial and human consumption. The study area spreads over an area of 1043 sq.km falling within the semi-arid region and frequently facing water scarcity as well as quality problems. Hence, a GIS based groundwater quality mapping of the region has been carried out. Physico-chemical analysis data of the groundwater samples collected at predetermined locations forms the attribute database for the study, based on which, spatial distribution maps of major water quality parameters are prepared using curve fitting method in Arc View GIS software. Water Quality Index (WQI) has been calculated to find the suitability of water for drinking purposes. Groundwater samples analysed show quality exceedence in terms of hardness, nitrate, iron, manganese, fluoride and total dissolved solids. These parameters indicate the level of quality of groundwater for drinking purposes. The groundwater quality map shows fragments pictorially representing groundwater zones that are desirable and undesirable for drinking purposes.
Geographic Information System, Groundwater quality, Water Quality Index, India
