Impact of Solid Waste Dumping on Groundwater for Suitability of Drinking and Irrigation Purpose: A Case Study

\nOne of the principal industrial hubs in central Maharashtra is Aurangabad. The city’s garbage production is steadily rising, and more waste is being dumped at the Naregaon dumpsite for the disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW). People in and around dumping site are dependent on groundwater for their domestic and irrigation use. This paper aims to research how the disposal of MSW affects the quality of the ground water near the dumping site. An attempt has been made to establish a Water Quality Index (WQI) for various groundwater quality parameters (pH, Temperature, Electrical Conductivity, Total Dissolved Solids, Total Hardness, Calcium Hardness, Magnesium Hardness, Carbonate, Bicarbonate, Calcium, Magnesium, Dissolved Oxygen, Chlorides, Sulphates, Phosphate, Nitrate, Fluoride, Sodium, Potassium, Coliform count) at 30 different locations in the periphery of 2 Km around dumping site. Spatial distribution of these parameters is shown by using Geographic Information System (GIS). The various irrigation indices which are mathematical equation that transforms water quality data into a numeric value that describes the quality of irrigation, such as Electrical Conductivity (EC), Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR), Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC), Permeability Index (PI), Kelly’s Ratio (KR), Magnesium Hazard, Sodium Percentage (SP). Metal index (MI) was calculated to assess the contamination of the groundwater with the metals (Copper, Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, Manganese, Chromium) which erected seriously at most sites particularly for drinking utilization. The study concludes that the contamination is caused by the improper disposal of solid waste over a long period of time, and it is essential to protect against risks of pollution.\n