Groundwater quality investigation in andimadam area, perambalur district, Tamilnadu, India

A study on geochemical characterization of ground water and its suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes was carried out in the Andimadam area of Perambalur district, Tamilnadu. Thirty Four groundwater samples were collected from bore wells and open wells during Pre and post monsoon seasons of 2008. The ground water samples have been analysed by various quality parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), Total dissolved solids (TDS). The water chemistry of various ions viz. Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO3- , Cl–, SO4–, and PO4-.Calcium, Sodium, Chlorite and sulphate are the dominant ions in the groundwater chemistry. The chemical composition of groundwater is controlled by rock water interaction with The formations comprise conglomerates, grey shale’s, marl, calcarrious clays, gypseous clays, sandstones and fossiliferous limestone and alluvium deposits. The chemical quality was evaluated for drinking use following the guidelines of WHO (1984). Groundwater is potable except in some isolated pockets. The chemical relationships in Piper trilinear diagram suggest that the groundwater quality is characterized by alkali type. In USSL classification, majority of samples in ground water irrespective of season fall in C1S1 and C2S1 zone indicating medium to low salinity and low sodium hazard, satisfactory for plants having moderate salt tolerance on soils. All the groundwater samples except the few are suitable for domestic, agriculture as well as industrial purpose.