Physico-chemical analysis, classification of ground water, and impact of water quality on the health of people in Khushab City, Pakistan

Abstract

Ground water quality was evaluated by analysing physico-chemical parameters e.g. pH, Electric Conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Hardness (TH), Ca + , Mg + and CI" from fifty sites within the urban settlements of Khushab City, Pakistan. Distribution of the contaminants and their impact on public health was also analysed. Water samples were classified on the basis of TDS and TH. Arc GIS software was used to plot the spatial distribution of contamination. Results showed that pH value ranged between 6.8 and 8.7, EC between 260 and 10290μS/cm, TDS between 179 and 9410mg/l, Ca +2 between 1.2 and 11.8mg/l, Mg +2 between 0.3 and 39.4mg/l, TH between 6.23 and 216.86mg/l, CI − between 0.3 and 344.7. Water quality was then correlated with the health condition of the residents which demonstrated water borne diseases like Hepatitis, Cholera, Gastro, and Kidney stone etc. is common in the study area.