International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Analysis of the drinking water quality and socioeconomic status of the community living in Poonthura, Thiruvananthapuram, India.
Abstract
Abstract
Environmental pollution and water quality are important parameters that greatly influence the well-being of a society. Poonthura is one of the highly polluted areas in the city of Thiruvananthapuram,Kerala. No reports were available on the drinking water quality and/or the socioeconomic status of the people living in this area. The socioeconomic survey conducted as part of the current study shows that improper waste management and lack of awareness among the people are the major problems for pollution in this area. The physicochemical and microbiological characterization of groundwater in this area shows that over 90% of the groundwater is not potable. Bacteriological analyses showed that 75% of the wells were contaminated with coliforms. Bacterial contamination may pose a threat to public health. The physicochemical analysis shows that the level of nitrate is very high in some samples analyzed, and the reported values were above the permissible limits of WHO standards for drinking water. This study recommends an urgent need for the implementation of proper waste management and continuous monitoring of groundwater quality in the Poonthura area.
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References
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