Assessment of Physico- Chemical Quality of Drinking Water in Araku Valley Mandal of Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

Water is an essential unique universal solvent needed for any living organism. Life is not possible on this planet without water. Drinking water quality is directly related to health. The world's thirst for water is likely to become one of the most pressing issues of the 21^st century. The study was conducted for different(12) water quality parameters, for five  water samples  collected from different sources (bore, open well, spring) basing on the consumption level of the local tribals  of  Araku valley, Mandal, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh, India, and analyzed, for their physico-chemical parameters. The analysis  include physical and chemical parameters are  pH, EC, Turbidity, Hardness, TDS, F, DO, Mg, Cl, Ca, No3, SO₄ etc.  On comparing the results against the drinking water quality standards lead by BIS (ISO:100500,1994) and WHO,  It was  observed that the parameters, Total solids, Electrical conductivity and turbidity was higher than the prescribed limits while other parameters  were lower than the limits. On comparsion of the consumptional drinking water sources, the well water and spring is more contaminated than the bore. The results showed that, the water in this area is not safe and needed treatment before it is consumed by the local tribal people.