Assessment of Groundwater Quality for Irrigation and Agro-based Industrial Usage in Selected Aquifers of Bangladesh

Abstract

Groundwater sampled from 24 tube wells of three districts namely Sherpur, Gaibandha and Naogaon in Bangladesh was appraised for their water quality for irrigation and agro-based industrial usage. All waters under test were slightly alkaline to alkaline (pH = 7.2 to 8.4) in nature and were not problematic for crop production. As total dissolved solid (TDS), all groundwater samples were classified as fresh water (TDS<1,000 mg/L) in quality. Electrical conductivity (EC) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) values reflected that waters under test were under medium salinity (C2), high salinity (C3) and also low alkalinity (S1) hazard classes expressed as C2S1 and C3S1. As regards to EC and soluble sodium percentage (SSP), groundwater samples were graded as good and permissible in category based on soil properties and crop growth. All water samples were free from residual sodium carbonate (RSC) and belonged to suitable in category. Water samples were under soft, moderately hard, hard and very hard classes. Manganese, bicarbonate and nitrate ions were considered as major pollutants in some water samples and might pose threat in soil ecosystem for long-term irrigation. For most of the agro-based industrial usage, Fe and Cl were considered as troublesome ions. On the basis of TDS and hardness, groundwater samples were not suitable for specific industry. Some water samples were found suitable for specific industry but none of these waters were suitable for all industries. The relationship between water quality parameters and major ions was established. The correlation between major ionic constituents like Ca, Mg, K, Na, HCO3 and Cl differed significantly. Dominant synergistic relationships were observed between EC-TDS, SAR-SSP, EC- Hardness, TDS-Hardness and RSC-Hardness.