Water is one of the precious resources on which life is founded. Water constitutes about 70 % of the body weight of almost all living organism. Life is not possible on this planet without water. About 2,5 % of total water in the World is fresh water out of which about 30,80 % is groundwater.
Groundwater is a cleaner source of water compared to the surface water so groundwater being used as drinking water in most of the countries in the word. Due to increased population and modernization in agricultural and industrial activities, groundwater is being polluted. Groundwater pollution has direct effect on the health of human beings so it is being the alarming issue.
To identify the deviation from the pristine condition of groundwater, groundwater quality assessment plays key role. Due to lack of expertise in this field developing countries are not coping with the problem of groundwater pollution effectively. Even the cause and effect of the groundwater dynamics, groundwater pollution and remedial measures is the urgent need for developing countries like Nepal to keep the pristine condition of groundwater protected.
This study considers Pokhare Valley of Nepal as a typical city of developing countries to have assessment of groundwater quality and dynamics. Three different existing groundwater Wells serving food industries and hotels were taken into account for study. Groundwater samples and data concerning geology, hydrogeology and climatology of the locations were collected. Also, the secondary and pumping test executed in 2006 of the three wells were collected. The water samples were tested for their quality and groundwater dynamics is assessed based on the data collected.
The characteristic features of this study that would be very beneficial to the developing countries are groundwater quality assessment and representation methodology, water budget calculation of the reservoir by using the method of Thornthwaite and Mather (1995), Hydrochemical classification of water types (Stuyfzand, 1986), Step Master software use for aquifer step-drawdown and recovery test analysis and Infinite Extent software use for aquifer pump and recovery test analysis.
Last but not the least, such study certainly keeps high value in the context of developing countries like Nepal, to have existing groundwater quality assessment, which is the preliminary step in the water quality management and water pollution remediation.


Auteur: Mahendra Raj Bastakoti
Herkomst: CMS, UGent
Referentie: Referentie