Water Quality Assessment for Wells Located Near Municipal Waste Dumping Sites in Bhubaneswar City, India

Abstract

Certain physicochemical and biological characteristics of well waters located near major solid waste disposal sites of Bhubaneswar city were studied in the dry and wet seasons of 2001 and 2002. Higher levels of NO₃‾, PO₄_‾‾, Cl‾, SO₄‾‾‾, Fe, Ca, Mg, total hardness, and total and fecal coliform bacteria have been observed in the water samples in wet seasons relative to dry seasons. Most of the physicochemical and biological parameters exceeded the Indian drinking water standards prescribed by IS:10500:1991. The results indicated that in wet seasons, the well waters within 50 meters from municipal waste dumping sites were not suitable for drinking.