CATEGORIZATION OF SOME AREAS OF HIMACHAL PRADESH ON THE BASIS OF CLUSTER ANALYSIS OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND WATER QUALITY INDEX OF GROUNDWATER

Smily Vishwakarma
Env. Engg. (Civil Engg. Department), PEC (Deemed to be University), Chandigarh , IN

S.K. Sharma
Env. Engg. (Civil Engg. Department), PEC (Deemed to be University), Chandigarh , IN

Keywords: Cluster analysis, Groundwater, Physico-chemical characteristics, Water Quality Index

Abstract

The present study was conducted to carry out cluster analysis of physico-chemical characteristics and water quality index of groundwater samples collected from Solan and Una districts of Himachal Pradesh. Physico-chemical characteristics of water samples include pH, Specific Conductivity (SC) at 25ºC, carbonate (CO3 2- ), bicarbonate (HCO3- ), Alkalinity, Chloride (Cl- ), Sulphate (SO4 2-
), Nitrate (NO3 - ), Fluorine (F), Calcium (Ca), Sodium (Na), Magnesium (Mg), Potassium (K), Total hardness (TH) and Total dissolved solids (TDS). Water Quality Index suggests that 18 sampling areas were having excellent water quality whereas it was good and poor in 23 and 4 sampling areas, respectively. Cluster analysis resulted in division of sampling areas into less polluted (LP) regions, moderately polluted regions (MP) and highly polluted regions (HP). In conclusion, evaluation of Water Quality Index and multivariate analysis helps in assessing the groundwater quality

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