Impact of Pollution on Potable Ground Water in Rural Area of Eastern Pune Metropolitan Region

Abstract

Potable ground water quality is at risk due to contamination by pollution, sewage, industrial effluent along the nearby areas of Mula-Mutha river banks in eastern metropolitan region of Pune. Physicochemical and microbiological assessment of some polluted river stream and nearby bore well sites to understand the impact of water contamination in drinking water quality was done. The physicochemical properties showed increase in hardness, elevated TDS and conductivity for bore well samples. TSS and turbidity levels were increased for river water. Microbiological studies shows high contamination of river samples due to high titers of total coliforms and total E coli colony counts. While the bore well samples showed random presence of coliforms and E coli. This indicate necessity to pre-treat the hard water samples of bore well and further disinfect water before using for drinking purpose.

Keywords: Mula-Mutha, ground water, contamination, physicochemical assessment, potable water