IJEP 42(1): 15-24 : Vol. 42 Issue. 1 (January 2022)
1. Vidyasagar University, Centre for Environmental Studies, Midnapore – 721 102, West Bengal, India
2. Vidyasagar University, Directorate of Distance Education, Midnapore – 721 102, West Bengal, India
Abstract
The contamination of water is a serious problem nowadays. The objective of this study is to analyze the water quality, sanitation index and prevalence of water-borne diseases in five districts of West Bengal, India. In Kulti town, turbidity (816.80 mg/L) and alkalinity (552.50 mg/L) values were found above the permissible limit in bore well water. In the Bajkul area, the Fe content is reported to be a little high (0.37 mg/L). The Tamluk area reports high values of conductivity (943 NTU) and hardness (597.9 mg/L). The alkalinity (447.3 mg/L) is also found much higher than desirable limit. TC content (14/100 mL) is reported to be very high in some villages of Purba Midnapur, where the prevalence of diarrhoea is high. Sanitation problems are mainly found in rural areas, like Belpahari and Jhargram in East Midnapore. The WQI reveals extremely polluted water quality in some locations. The study reports that in some areas the water quality is unsatisfactory and contaminated and should not be used for direct drinking without any treatment. Consequently, the study recommends regular monitoring of water quality to avoid contamination.
Keywords
Water quality, Water contamination, Physico-chemical analysis, Sanitation, Water-borne diseases
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