Ground water quality in Anuradhapura district

Abstract

Ground water 3~~ples frem eighteen welle which could manifest clearly the quality of water in the Anuradhapura district, were tested for :!!eventeenparameters each month. The Para-meters tested. for indicate the Potability of the water. Water quality variation in relation to the rainfall pattern was studied to examine the effect of rainfall on the quality of ground water. The relationship between the parameters was aIM studied. The study reveals that tne quality of ground water in the Anuradhapura district conforms to the majority of the requirements of the Sri Lanka I standards for potable water (SLS 614). Further, this study highlights the high levels of Fluoride and Iron; and infa..ctthe levels exceed the Maximum Permissible Level of the Sri LanKa Standards and Maximum Allowa- -ble Concentration of the WHO Standards. Hardness and Alkalinity were also found to be high in some areas. However, high levels of Iron and Fluoride appear to be the major limiting factors in the ground water of the Anuradhapura district. In general, there is a distinct variationof ground watar qualitywith rainfall changes. Di1'!tinct interrelationship between pairs of parameterswas observed only in :cespect to Electrical Conductivi ty versu~ Chlorides and Total Hardness versus Calcium Hardness.