Groundwater Quality Appraisal through Water Quality Index and Non-Carcinogenic Health Risk Assessment from Nellikal Watershed of Nalgonda District, Telangana, India

This study described the assessment of groundwater quality using a water quality index (W.Q.I.) and non-carcinogenic health risk due to Nitrate in groundwater from rural habitats of Nellikal watershed of Nalgonda district. Groundwater samples are collected andmeasuredfor pH, E.C., T.D.S., T.H.,and major anions and cations.Results revealed that T.D.S., HCO3- and NO3 concentrations are beyond the WHO permissible limits among the various parameters determined. The groundwater of the study area falls in poor water quality accounts for 35% of samples, and 5.9% of samples are inthe very poor category, according to W.Q.I. The risk assessment demonstrated that hazardous quotient (H.Q.) values are in the range of 0.01-105.70; 0.01-99.10; 0.01-37.75 concerning infants, children and adults, respectively. These data demonstrated that most of the samples (71% ) showed HQ>1 together for infants and children suggests a severe health effect on infants and children due to groundwater ingestion from the Nellikal watershed. This investigation recommended that water has to treated before supply for drinking in the study region.