INDIA: Study finds high levels of fluoride contamination in groundwater in Alappuzha

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INDIA: Study finds high levels of fluoride contamination in groundwater in Alappuzha

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Study finds high levels of fluoride contamination in groundwater in Alappuzha

The Hindu - February 4, 2023

By SAM PAUL A.

The study “Characterisation and evaluation of the aquifer systems of Kuttanad area, Kerala, for sustainable groundwater development” conducted by Kunhambu V., former regional director, Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), notes that 22 tubewell stations tapping Warkalai aquifer, the most developed among four aquifers in the region, around Alappuzha registered fluoride concentration above 1.5 ppm, the maximum fluoride limit set by the World Health Organization.

Fluoride concentration above 1.5 ppm (1.5 mg/l) in drinking water causes dental fluorosis and much higher concentration leads to skeletal fluorosis. Some of the places affected by fluoride are Kommady, Komalapuram, Chandanakkavu, Pazhaveedu, Pathirappally, Kalavoor, Chettikkad, Alappuzha, Champakkulam and so on.

“The fluoride concentration above the permissible limit of 1.5 mg/l is confined to only Warkalai aquifer ranging from 1.5 mg/l at Kalavoor to 4.20 mg/l at Chettikkad, near Alappuzha. All stations showed a pH of more than 7.5, indicating the alkaline nature of the water-fluoride concentrations,” reads the study, adding that the long-term trend at Komalapuram, Chandanakavu, Pazhaveedu and Thookkukulam shows a slight increase in fluoride concentration over the years albeit not in an alarming stage.

The study calls for adopting defluoridation techniques to ensure a safe drinking water supply. It suggests rainwater harvesting and mixing high fluoride groundwater with rainwater. “This has an additional benefit: groundwater with high fluoride always has a pH of more than seven, and rainwater is slightly acidic with a pH of around 5.5, so mixing rainwater and groundwater with high fluoride concentration will bring optimum pH of about 7,” reads the study.

The study, which covered Kuttanad and adjoining places covering a total area of 2,024.00 sq km comprising the major parts of Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts, however, says that uranium and arsenic concentrations in the region are within the permissible limits specified by the Bureau of Indian Standards for drinking water.

It stresses the need for off-shore groundwater exploration to define the aquifer geometry of off-shore aquifer and to predict possibilities of future seawater intrusion. The paper also recommends installing adequate aquifer-wise monitoring stations.

The findings have been published in the Journal of the Geological Society of India and Nature Environment and Pollution Technology. Mr. Kunhambu was recently awarded Ph.D. by the University of Kerala for his research study.

SOURCE:
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ ... 470983.ece
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