ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF DISPOSAL SITE POLLUTION ON GROUNDWATER QUALITY OF SALEM CITY, TAMILNADU

Analysis of Ground Water Quality Parameters of water samples from three boreholes located near a dumping site and one borehole located near a landfilling site at Salem, Tamilnadu. It was carried out to ascertain the magnitude of dumpsite pollution on groundwater quality. Borehole locations were at radial distances of 10km away from the landfill and dumping site respectively. Groundwater samples were collected from all the said four sites and tested for major water quality parameters. The parameters determined to included: Chlorides, Total Hardness, Fluorides, pH and Dissolved oxygen (D.O.). Most of these parameters indicated traceable pollution but were below the World Health Organization (WHO) and Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) for Drinking Water Quality limits for consumption. Our assessment focuses on the groundwater contamination potentials of both dumping and sanitary landfilling methods. In Salem city, solid waste disposal is done in various locations. Four different sites, namely New Bus Stand, Dalmia Board and Kitchipalayam where mere dumping of solid waste is practiced and Chettichavadi where a landfill site is operated were chosen for our study. The results portray significant contamination of groundwater. The obtained results have been analyzed further in the light of Environmental Impact Assessment concepts. Many-fold increase in the concentration of all constituents is noticed. An Incremental increase in the concentration of constituents of groundwater in and around the waste disposal sites, both in space and time (present and future), has been determined. It shows that the rate of deterioration in the quality of groundwater is alarming, if the same practice of irregular dumping of municipal solid waste is continued