ASSESSMENT OF GROUNDWATER QUALITY FOR HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION IN AND AROUND RAICHUR DISTRICT, KARNATAKA
Keywords:
Groundwater Quality, Heavy Metals, Raichur District, Heavy Pollution Index (HPI), Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS), Water Pollution, KarnatakaAbstract
Groundwater is the main source of drinking water for people living in Raichur District, Karnataka. However, the district has large industrial units like the Raichur Thermal Power Station (RTPS) and several manufacturing units under KIADB and MIDC. These industries, along with farming activities, may be releasing harmful heavy metals into the soil and water. This study aims to check the quality of groundwater by measuring the concentration of seven heavy metals — Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Lead (Pb), Chromium (Cr), Zinc (Zn), Cadmium (Cd), and Nickel (Ni) — at ten different locations in and around Raichur District. Water samples were collected in March–April 2026 and tested in the laboratory using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). The results were compared with World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water standards. A number called the Heavy Pollution Index (HPI) was calculated to rank the pollution level at each location. The results show that industrial areas, especially Raichur MIDC and RTPS Colony (Shaktinagar), had metal levels much higher than safe limits. Agricultural and rural areas had mostly acceptable levels. Based on the findings, this paper recommends simple and practical steps to improve groundwater quality in Raichur District.
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