GROUNDWATER QUALITY AND FATE OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN NEW KARACHI TOWN, KARACHI, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The aim of present study was to evaluate the groundwater quality and its potential impacts by drinking on the health of New Karachi Town residents. For this purpose, a total of 25 groundwater samples were randomly collected through boring wells at a depth range of 961 meters from the study area. Data revealed that all the chemical parameters exceeded their guideline values of WHO for drinking purpose in most of the wells. TDS content of groundwater is very high (mean: 4781.6 mg/L) which exceeded the WHO limit (500 mg/L) for drinking purpose. Highly elevated concentration of Na (mean: 1397mg/L), K (mean: 39.72 mg/L), Ca (mean: 308.7 mg/L), Mg (mean: 1408.65 mg/L), Cl (mean: 2502.345 mg/L), HCO3 (mean: 441 mg/L) and SO4 (mean: 332.4376 mg/L) is reported in more than 85% wells which is against the corresponding WHO guideline for drinking purpose. Very high concentration of these major ions (Mg, K, Ca, Na, Cl, SO4 and HCO3) is indicating the sewage mixing with groundwater in study area. Groundwater in New Karachi town is not suitable for drinking purpose and may cause serious health impacts of acute and chronic nature.