Appraisal of Drinking Water Quality in Lahore Residence, Pakistan

Abstract

A comprehensive study for the spatial distribution of drinking water quality had been conductedfor residential area of Lahore, Pakistan. The study had made use of the geographic information system(GIS) for geographical representation and spatial analysis of groundwater quality. Physicochemicalparameters including electric conductivity, pH, TDS, Cl, Mg, Ca, alkalinity and bicarbonates from 73 ofthe water samples had been included in the analysis. Water quality data had been geo-referenced followedby its interpolation using inverse distance weighted (IDW) for each of the parameters. Very high alkalinityand bicarbonates values were observed in most parts of the area. For the comprehensive view, water qualityindex map had been prepared using weighted overlay analysis (WOA). The water quality index map wasclassified into five zones of excellent, good, poor, very poor and unfit for drinking as per WHO standardsof drinking water. 21% region had excellent quality of the underground water and 50% was found goodfor drinking. Poor quality of water was found in southeastern part, covering 27% of the study area. Only2% of the area was found under the very poor and unfit water quality conditions for drinking.