The study on groundwater quality of Greater Guwahati analyses various trace elements in samples and ascertains that their concentration is much higher than the tolerance limit prescribed for drinking water. The trace element analysis focuses on metals such as Cu, Co, Cd, Fe, Zn and Pb.
Owing to the inadequacies of piped water supply, the Greater Guwahati area depends on groundwater from ringwells and tubewells for drinking purposes. Groundwater is mostly polluted from the effluents discharged by industries on land, seepage from sewage lines & tanks and application of pesticides on agricultural land. Due to the low flow velocity, groundwater once contaminated will remain so for longer periods. Metals assume significance because of their greater toxicity, accumulative and non-biodegradable behavior. Read More
