ASSESSMENT OF DRINKING WATER SAFETY AND CONTAMINANT LOAD IN THE PORUR REGION, CHENNAI: A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Water is a key natural resource that is necessary for human well-being, agriculture, and industry. Yet, high industrialization, urbanization, and population increase have led to water quality degradation through contamination with physicochemical pollutants as well as heavy metals. Water samples were obtained from different sources in the Porur area of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, such as effluent water, Porur Lake, a municipal treatment plant, and packaged drinking water. Physicochemical parameters such as temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, total alkalinity, total hardness, and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) were examined as per the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) guidelines. The heavy metals, arsenic (As) and lead (Pb), were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), whereas sodium (Na⁺) and potassium (K⁺) were analyzed by flame photometry. Some of the effluent and lake water samples had values higher than permissible limits for TDS, hardness, alkalinity, and turbidity, pointing towards high mineralization and pollution. Heavy metals were found in a few samples, which carry possible health risks. Packaged water samples had safe values for all other parameters. The results highlight the critical necessity for ongoing water quality monitoring, strict regulation compliance, and efficient treatment processes to maintain the potability of water.