Evaluation of seasonal and temporal variations of groundwater quality around Jawaharnagar municipal solid waste dumpsite of Hyderabad city, India

The present study aimed to assess the impact of municipal solid waste dumpsite on groundwater bodies at Hyderabad, India. Leachate and groundwater samples collected through pre- and post-monsoon analyzed the physicochemical, microbiological, biological and heavy metals. The analytical data were compared with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) drinking water quality standards. Water quality index (WQI), heavy metal pollution indices like heavy metal evaluation index (HEI) and degree of contamination (Cd) are calculated for groundwater samples. High total dissolve solids values in leachates revealed that they were highly contaminated with organic and inorganic salts. Biological oxygen demand values indicated that dumpsite was old and stabilized with decreasing biodegradability from time to time. According to WQI, about 75% of the water samples identified as Poor category that is not suitable for neither drinking nor domestic purposes as per BIS standards. Similarly, HEI and Cd results indicated that majority of the samples are labeled with low-metal pollution status. Spatial patterns obtained through geographic information systems using inverse distance weighted interpolation technique revealed that the concentrations of various parameters are high due to increased degradation of solid wastes during rainfall, especially during the post-monsoon. The study suggested that leachates have treated prior to disposal on land, and continuous monitoring of groundwater wells is required to minimize the pollution and potential health hazards.