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ASSESSMENT OF GROUNDWATER QUALITY OF RAJSHAHI CITY IN

BANGLADESH

Conference Paper · December 2018

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Saleha Akhter Poly Arif Hasnat

Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology
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 4th International Conference on Advances in Civil Engineering 2018 (ICACE 2018)
19 –21 December 2018
CUET, Chittagong, Bangladesh
www.cuet.ac.bd

ASSESSMENT OF GROUNDWATER QUALITY OF RAJSHAHI CITY IN

BANGLADESH

S.Akter*&A.Hasnat

Department of Civil Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, Rajshahi,

Bangladesh.
E-mail:polyce67@gmail.com*; arif140092@gmail.com
*Corresponding Author

ABSTRACT
Quality of groundwater is a major concern as we consumed it without further treatment. Majority of diseases
are caused by poor drinking water in developing countries like Bangladesh. About 60% of Rajshahi residents
use groundwater for drinking and domestic purpose. Therefore, understanding the significance of drinking
water quality, the present study was carried out to investigate the physiochemical quality of groundwater
that was supplied to Rajshahi city in Bangladesh. Total 20 samples were collected from different tubewells
of 10 wards among 30 wards to analyze 6 physiochemical parameters. Selected physical parameters are pH,
turbidity, odor, conductivity and chemical parameters are iron and hardness respectively. Different standard
laboratory tests were conducted to determine the physical and chemical quality of groundwater and
compared them with WHO and BDS. By analyzing the test, it was obvious that the majority of samples
contain higher concentration of iron and hardness and these samples highly deviated from WHO and BDS
standards. Odor was detected about 70% samples. PH of all samples fell within allowable limit. Most of the
tubewells contain turbid water. Hardness and conductivity are also high in case of few samples. The higher
concentration of iron occurs may be due to geologic formation of aquifer. Excess turbidity causes health
risk and provide shelter to pathogenic micro-organism. Odor in water create major aesthetic problems to
consumers. Due to higher concentration of these selected parameters, groundwater is not suitable for
drinking and domestic purpose. So, alternative measures are suggested.

Keywords: Groundwater; Rajshahi city; Lab analysis; WHO

INTRODUCTION
Groundwater is the most precious and renewable resource in the world (Islam, Ahmed, Bodrud-Doza, &
Chu, 2017). The health condition, peoples livelihood and socioeconomic activities of a country highly
depends on the availability and quality of groundwater as it satisfies the demand of agricultural, industrial
and domestic sectors of the country (Saleem A. Salman, Shamsuddin Shahid, Morteza Mohsenipour, &
Hamid Asgari, 2018; Sharma, Rishi, & Keesari, 2017). But the natural and anthropogenic activities
dominant the groundwater quality directly or indirectly (Verma et al., 2017). By questionnaire survey of
Rajshahi city householders, groundwater quality of this city become poorer day by day. So, the peoples
concerned about the groundwater quality as there is an intimate relationship between water quality and
public health and people suffer from various water borne diseases (Lonergan & Vansickle, 1991). Reference
should be added.
Several research based projects have been conducted by laboratory test in foreign countries and Bangladesh.
Something should be added to correlate between the water quality and literature review. 14 physiochemical

1038
parameter were analyzed for six water samples collected from borehole and spring water sources in Ethiopia
(Shigut, Liknew, Irge, & Ahmad, 2017).A study was attempted to check the groundwater quality of
Faridpur district in Bangladesh (Bodrud-Doza et al., 2016). A study was made in the selected study area to
identify the concentration of different water quality parameter (Rasul & Jahan, 2010). Again, another study
was carried out to investigate hydro-geochemistry and groundwater quality in Rajshahi city (Mostafa,
Uddin, & Haque, 2017). Lacking should be added.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the current situation and updated condition of previous
studies of groundwater quality withdrawn from different hand tube wells in Rajshahi city Corporation. A
total of 20 samples collected from 10 wards to analyze 5 physical and chemical parameters. Selected
physical parameters are pH, odor, turbidity and chemical parameters are iron and hardness respectively.
Different standard laboratory tests were conducted to determine the physical and chemical quality of
groundwater and compared them with WHO and BDS.

METHODOLOGY
Study location and data collection: Rajshahi city-corporation is located in the north-west part of
Bangladesh. It is the 4th largest city of Bangladesh. Geologically its position is at 24021/ and 24026/ north
latitudes and between 88028/ and 88037/ east longitudes. The total area of it is 47.78 sq km. In opposition
with 449756 population the daily water demand is 9.76 million liters. Where WASA supplies 7.16 million
liters which covers 319327 peoples demand daily. It covers 80% of total demand in which 77% from
underground water and 03% from surface water. Total subscriber of Rajshahi WASA is 40540 (Year 2017-
18). It supplies water through 632.50 km pipeline network (Rajshahi WASA, 2018). The study location and
total methodology of research have been shown in Fig. 01 & 02 respectively.

Fig. 1: Study area of research work (Made by Author)

We have studied on water quality of Rajshahi WASA for these study area (Arif Hasnat, Saleha Akter, 2018).
In that study we have seen that in many wards of Rajshahi, people use ground water instead of WASA water
for drinking and other purposes. This is because of the better water quality of ground water than WASA
water. In other wards people totally depends on WASA water because of poor quality of ground water.
Considering this variations we select top 10 wards for our study. A total of 20 samples were collected for
this research work. All the samples are collected in 1-litre polyethylene (PE) bottles pre heated by washing

1039
with dilute HCl and later rinsed with distilled water (Etim et al., 2013) and then carried in public health lab
of RUET safely.
i) Observation of water i) Lab test i) Presentation
01

02

03
quality in the study area. ii) Data analysis
ii) Sample collection. iii) Problem findings
Fig. 2: Flowchart of research methodology.

RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS

This work constitutes 3 physical and 2 chemical parameters. Analysis of pH, Turbidity, Conductivity, Odor,
Iron concentration and Hardness are described in this section. Analyzed value of these parameters are
compared to BDS and WHO standards.

Table 1: Experimental method and allowable limit

Selected Parameters Experimental Methods BDS WHO
pH pH meter 6.5 to 8.5 6.5 to 8.5
Turbidity Turbidity meter 10 5
Odor Threshold odor number odorless odorless
Iron Titration method 0.3-1.0 0.3
Hardness Soda reagent method 200-500 500

pH value
pH value indicates the acidity or alkalinity of the water (Guettaf, Maoui, & Ihdene, 2014). In the case of
groundwater of Rajshahi, pH value remains almost same in the range between 6.5 to 7.5 and this range
satisfies WHO and BDS standard 6.5 to 8.5.
7.6
7.4
7.2
Value of pH

7
6.8
6.6
6.4
6.2
6

Sample Location

Fig. 3: pH value of groundwater with respect to wards.

Turbidity
Turbidity indicates the presence of suspended material such as clay, silt, finely divided organic material,
and other inorganic material. Higher turbidity may create possible bacterial contamination (Rajon & Bari,
2014). According to WHO & BDS guideline the allowable turbidity for drinking water are 5 NTU and 10
NTU respectively. The higher and lower concentration of turbidity found were 25.9 NTU and 0.51 NTU
in ward 3 which exceed WHO (5NTU) and BDS standard (10NTU). Within 10 samples ward 3, 13, 14, 23
& 24 remain middle ranged of WHO and BDS limit. Rest of the samples lie below WHO and BDS
standard [Fig. 04]

1040
 30

Turbidity (NTU)
25
20
15
10
5
0

Sample locations
Turbidity WHO limit BDS limit

Fig. 4: Showing turbidity value of ground water of 10 wards.

Odor
An unwanted odor coming from drinking water is often the sign of bigger issues plaguing the tap or pipes.
Often this smell does not signify the presence of a harmful contaminant, but it could indicate that the
drinking water is not the cleanest and should be inspected to be restored to its purest state. About 70%
samples of ground water was found as odorous and rest of the samples found odorless.
Hardness
Hardness of water can be measured as soft (<75 mg/L), moderately hard (75-150 mg/L), hard (150-300
mg/L) and very hard (>300 mg/L) with respect to the concentration of calcium and magnesium (Akter,
Ferdous, & Kafy, 2018; Roy, Akter, & Islam, 2018). 4 samples contain soft water (ward 11 & 22). 2 samples
were moderately hard (ward 7). And 6 samples were very hard (ward 12, 3 & 23). In average 50%, 20%,
10% and 10% samples were very hard, hard, moderately hard and soft water respectively [Fig. 07]

700
Hardness (mg/l)

600
500
400
300
200
100
0

Sample location

hardness of GW BDS(low) BDS(high)

Fig. 5: Showing Hardness condition of wards

20% soft
moderately hard
50% 10%
hard

20% very hard

Fig. 6: Hardness condition in percentage.

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Iron concentration
Iron is one of the most important elements of blood in human and another living creature. Iron is an essential
need for human nutrition and metabolism. But in excess quantities results in toxic effect like
hemochromatosis in tissues (Sagar et al., 2015). Iron enters drinking water supplies from natural deposits in
the earth or from agricultural and industrial practice (Fahmida et al., 2013). In this case maximum and
minimum concentration of iron were 5.6mg/l and 0.2mg/l found in ward 3 and ward 21 respectively. About
50% samples contain higher concentration of iron and deviate WHO and BDS standards. Rest of the samples
fall within allowable limit or below the allowable limit.
6
5
4
Iron, mg/l

3
2
1
0
War War War War War War War War War War War War War War War War War War War War
d-3 d-3 d-7 d-7 d-11 d-11 d-12 d-12 d-13 d-13 d-14 d-14 d-21 d-21 d-22 d-22 d-23 d-23 d-24 d-24
Iron 5.6 4.5 1.5 1.2 0.35 2.4 1.54 2 2.63 4 0.54 0.32 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.4 0.3 1 1.2
WHO limit 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3
BDS limit(low) 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3
BDS limit(high) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Sample locations

Iron WHO limit BDS limit(low) BDS limit(high)

Fig. 7: Condition of iron concentration in wards

CONCLUSION
Research revealed that people of Rajshahi city do not get good quality of groundwater. Though the pH of all
samples were within allowable limit but other selected parameters deviated from WHO and BDS guideline
extremely. About 70% samples contain odor. 50% samples fall within very hard range in hardness. In
average 50% samples had higher concentration of iron. Few wards contain extreme level of turbid water.
Due to higher concentration of these selected parameters, groundwater is not suitable for drinking and
domestic purpose in these wards. So, authority of Rajshahi city Corporation should take necessary steps to
overcome these problems. That can be either the betterment of WASA water or purification of groundwater.

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