Groundwater Quality Analysis of Different Villages in Two Union Councils of District Tando

The groundwater quality of different villages located in two Union Councils, namely Shah Karim Bulri and Khokhar of district Tando Muhammad Khan used for drinking purpose were analyzed. The water quality parameters checked were pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, total dissolved salts, hardness, sodium, potassium, nitrate, fluoride, turbidity, iron and arsenic by taking fifteen samples in triplicate. Some parameters were examined using instruments and others by titration method. The obtained results were within the range as; pH from 6.6 to 7.5, turbidity 0.0-3.0 NTU, electrical conductivity 675-4030 μS/cnm, total dissolved salts 432-2579 mg/l, hardness 90-860 mg/l, sodium 32-388 mg/l, potassium 0.9-18.1 mg/l, nitrate 0.18-1.24 mg/l, fluoride 0.08-0.54 mg/l, and arsenic 5.0 ppb-20 ppb. It was revealed that out of fifteen groundwater samples nine samples were unfit due to high concentration total dissolved salts and five groundwater samples were found unfit due high concentration of hardness and in one sample the concentration of arsenic was more than international standards. It was concluded from the analysis that the groundwater samples taken from AHNa-06 location is unfit for drinking purpose due to higher concentration of maximum number of examined parameters than WHO guideline values. Keywords—Water quality parameters, analysis, water characteristics


Introduction
C lean and safe water is a fundamental source for survival of human health and all creatures [1,2]. It is usually recognized as universal solvent because of its dissolving capability of different substances. Thus, it is hardly pure in nature. Population growth, fast urban development, industrial growth new means of living styles and economic advancements cause severe stress not only on the quantity but also on the quality of existing water resources, thus the water become contaminated [3][4][5].
The availability of unpolluted drinkable water is an emerging issue, if not tackled timely, can elevate severe water crisis not only in the world but also in Pakistan [6,7]. Water is being used for variety of purposes, like consumption, food preparation, laundry, housework, farming, cultivation, industrial expansion and growth of plants. The manmade activities are the foremost source of water quality degradation. Although, these accomplishments can be managed by means of better organization, monitoring and taking controlling measures and by application of treatment technologies. The treatment of water may be carried out using unit operations or unit processes or combination of both. However, these treatment technologies are not widely implemented in developing countries [8][9].
The consumption of water has been increased with the increase of urban population. Meanwhile, the volume of municipal wastewater is also increased, which is being introduced into the canal without any treatment [10]. Such practice creates stern environmental problems to the people residing near the major cities and those living in the downstream areas of the canals [11]. It was discovered by PCRWR that around 84-89% water quality of 23 big cities of Pakistan is not up to standards of human consumption [12]. Thus, there should be regular water quality monitoring program in the entire country to save the humans from anticipated water related illnesses [13]. The status of Pakistan in drinking water quality is 80 out of 122 nations [13,14], and just six persons out of ten can access potable water [15]. Although, there are many water treatment plants working in urban areas, but are not sufficient to fulfill the needs of even urban population, leaving behind rural people to manage water for their selves. Thus, the populations residing in rural areas live only on the groundwater. It is stated that about 40% deaths are happened due to water related diseases in Pakistan [16]. One of the reasons behind such poor quality of drinking water is due to release of 2000 MGD of sewage into the surface water bodies in the country [17][18]. Groundwater quality is as important as that of its quantity, because, it decides the suitability for its exploitation and application [19].
Various works have been carried out to see the level of water pollutants and develop effective techniques to treat water to be used of drinking purpose. Raza et. al. [19] revealed that the groundwater of Pakistan is extremely polluted and unsuitable for drinking purposes as the level of pollutants exceed WHO guideline value and NEQS. Hussain et. al. [20] established that the concentration of physicochemical characteristics, heavy metals, and trace metals in industrial wastewaters are more than Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (PEPA) standards. Azizullah et. al., [13] and Mohseni-Bandpei and Yousefi [21] investigated the impact of industrial effluents, municipal sewage, fish ponds and agronomic runoff on river water quality, and found that not only surface but also groundwater in Pakistan is being contaminated with coliforms, toxic metals and pesticides. Samo et. al. [22] investigated the water quality of Gajra wah canal at Nawabshah Sindh, and the average values of pH, turbidity, TDS and EC in the examined water samples were found 8.4, 627 FTU, 435 mg/l and 654 µS/cnm respectively. Lahgari et. al. [23] investigated the water quality of Rohri Canal at Nawabshah, and found that pH of samples were 8.4, turbidity 522.5FTU, TDS 47.2mg/l and EC 78.6 µS/cnm. Channa et. al. [24] ana-lyzed the physical, chemical and biological properties of Phueli canal water Hyderabad, and discover that the level of EC and fecal coliforms were more than WHO standards. Jakhrani et. al. [25] analyzed the arsenic level in groundwater Taluka Sakrand, District Shaheed Benazirabad and found concentration of arsenic in groundwater with 60 ppb in Union Council Marvi. In other samples, the level of arsenic was in the range of 20 to 60 ppb. Samtio et. al. [26] examined the groundwater quality of Taluka Dahili, Thar Desert, Pakistan. The average concentration of EC, TDS, Cl, HCO3, NO3 was higher than the maximum permissible limit of WHO guidelines. Pathan et. al. [27] evaluated the groundwater quality of Shahdadkot City and found that the level of E.C, hardness and TDS were exceeding WHO standards. Memon et. al. [28] investigated the physicochemical characteristics of groundwater on the left bank of the Indus River at downstream Kotri barrage. The maximum level of pH was found as 8.1, TDS 4011mg/l, total hardness 1320mg/l, chloride 2260mg/l and sulphate 777mg/l. Lanjwani et. al. [29] randomly collected and analyzed 40 groundwater samples from Taluka Dokri, district Larkana, and it was found that 27.5% samples were not suitable for drinking purposes as the level of TDS, EC and TH were above permissible limits. Jamali et. al. [30] analyzed groundwater quality of Taluka Larkana, and revealed that the level of pH in 53% of examined samples EC of 84%, TH of 21%, and TDS of 84% were beyond the WHO guideline values.
It is established from the literature review that quality of water resources are being contaminated in various part of Sindh province due to various anthropogenic activities and its quantity is also reduced due to lack of proper treatment facilities, supply systems and increasing demand due to increase of population. Thus, this study was conducted to examine the quality of water in different villages located in two union councils, namely Shah Karim Bulri and Khokhar of district Tando Muhammad Khan, Sindh.
The purpose of the study was to check whether the water quality of these villages is within international standards or not. If not, then suggest practicable solutions so save the villagers from any forthcoming vulnerability.

Study Area and Water Sampling
The water samples were collected from different villages of union councils, namely Shah Karim Bulri and Khokhar of district Tando Muhammad Khan. Samples were collected in transparent glass bottles with a capacity of 1liter. The collected samples were carried out in the morning time around 09:00AM Pakistan Standard Time (PST). Furthermore, sample bottles were stored at room temperature in thermopole container. The samples were collected in triplicate from the fifteen sampling points in the year 2021. The handling and transportation of water samples were being made as per standard methods adopted by [31,32]. The location of each water sample and sample codes are given in Table 1.

Analysis of Drinking Water Quality
Instruments used for analysis of groundwater samples after their calibration as per World Health Organization (WHO) standards. The level of pH was measured using pH meter, model HANNA. It was calibrated with buffers of pH 4 and 9. The standard of values of pH should range from 6.5-8.5. Less than 4 value of and greater than 9 badly effect human health. Turbidity was tested with the help of turbidity meter. Electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS) were examined with conductivity meter HANNA, HI 9033 Multi range EC Portable meter. Hardness by using titration method, sodium and potassium with the help of flame photometer. Nitrate and fluoride were examined with DR 2800 colorimeter and arsenic by using Arsenic Testing Kit made by Merk. All the samples were analyzed at room temperature.
The average level of turbidity in examined samples are presented in Figure 2

Conclusion
It was found from the analysis that maximum and minimum average values of potassium were 18.1 mg/l and 0.9 mg/l from AHN-06 and HUM-02 samples respectively. The maximum and minimum values of arsenic were 20.0 ppb and 5 ppb at AHN-06 and HUM-02 water sample locations respectively. The maximum and minimum average values of electrical conductivity were found 4030 µS/cnm and 675 µS/cm at AHN-06 and HUM-02 locations. The level of electrical conductivity in almost all samples were beyond the WHO guideline value. The maximum noted concentration of total dis-solved salts in the examined samples were 2579 mg/l and minimum 432 mg/l from AHN-06 and HUM-02 samples. It was observed that, out of fifteen samples, eleven numbers showed higher TDS values than WHO guideline value. The maximum level of hardness was recorded as 860 mg/l from AHN-06 sample. Since, in twelve water samples out of fifteen showed higher values of hardness than WHO guideline value. Whereas, the higher concentration of sodium was recorded as 388 mg/l from AHN-06 sample. In general, four water samples showed higher sodium concentration than WHO guideline value. It was found that the level of pH, turbidity, nitrate and fluoride in all examined ground-water samples were within WHO guideline values. It was revealed that out of fifteen groundwater samples nine samples were unfit due to high concentration total dissolved salts and five groundwater samples were found unfit due high concentration of hardness and in one sample the concentration of arsenic was more than international standards, whereas, the remaining parameters were within safe limits. It was concluded from the analysis that the groundwater samples taken from AHN-06 location is unfit for drinking purpose due to higher concentration of different physicochemical parameters