Water quality index for groundwater of Bapatla Mandal, coastal Andhra Pradesh, India

Water quality index is a technique for rating water quality, is an effective tool to assess the groundwater quality. The analysis of groundwater samples were carried out from ten sampling sites of Bapatla mandal, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, by using water quality index (WQI), The analysis of different parameters such as pH, turbidity, Alkalinity, total hardness, chloride, sulphate, nitrate, TDS, DO, BOD, COD were carried out as per standard methods. The present study aimed to calculate water quality index (WQI) in order to assess the suitability of water for drinking purposes. The results obtained on WQI from different sampling stations were found. The TDS, nitrate and calcium levels in all the samples exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of WHO, BIS and USPH Drinking Water Standards. Based on the results obtained, the quality of water in four sampling sites is not suitable for human consumption without adequate treatment, monitoring of groundwater quality and treatment is required in some sampling sites.