Assessment of Groundwater Quality in a Tidal River Basin of the Ganges Delta in Bangladesh

Abstract

At Shailmari River basin, located in the central Ganges Delta and the southwestern coastal Bangladesh, groundwater is the only potable source for water supply due to incompatible surface water sources. However, salinity degradation along with arsenic and iron contamination poses a serious health threat to the basin community. Considering this, an investigation was carried out along both banks of the river to assess groundwater vulnerability and its quality for drinking by conducting multi-seasonal water sampling campaigns from 20 domestic wells and analyses (both in-situ and laboratory) for several physico-chemical (pH, EC, TDS and major ions) and biological (coliforms) parameters. The results show slightly alkaline groundwater in the study area with largely variable chemical composition, i.e. EC varies from around 1900 to 2700 µS/cm. The abundance of major ions indicates as Na + > Ca 2+ > Mg 2+ > K + for cations and 3 HCO − > Cl − > 2 4 SO − > 3 NO − > 3 4 PO − for anions. As per the Canadian water quality index (CCMEWQI), almost all groundwater samples concentrate in the marginal category meaning that groundwater is frequently threatened. Besides, it is not fully safe for drinking as revealed from comparison of geochemical data with national and WHO water quality standards.

Conflict of Resource Use Among Different Livelihood Group in Coastal Villages of South-Western Bengal Delta, Bangladesh

“…Lithologically, the area is composed of coarse to very fine sand, silt and silty clay up to a depth of 300 m with peaty soil and calcareous as well as non-calcareous soil at the top. The surface lithology of the area is of deltaic deposits which are composed of tidal deltaic deposits, deltaic silt deposits, and mangrove swamp deposits [33,34].…”

Assessment of Drinking Water Quality Served in Different Restaurants at Islam Nagor Road Adjacent to Khulna University Campus, Bangladesh

“…The quality and quantity of drinking water are inextricably linked with human well-being and health (Swarnokar et al, 2019). If polluted or contaminated water is consumed by people, many waterborne diseases lead to many deaths worldwide.…”