IMPACT OF URBANIZATION ON GROUND WATER PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES IN THE ALWAL AREA, HYDERABAD, TELANGANA.

Abstract

Water is an indispensable natural resource that plays a vital role in sustaining life, maintaining public health, supporting economic development, and ensuring environmental sustainability. Rapid urbanization and associated anthropogenic activities have significantly altered natural landscapes, thereby affecting groundwater quality in many urban and peri-urban regions. The present study evaluates the impact of urbanization on the physico-chemical characteristics of groundwater in Alwal, a rapidly developing suburban area of Hyderabad, Telangana. The region is characterized by semi-arid climatic conditions and rocky terrain, which strongly influence groundwater occurrence and quality. Groundwater samples were collected from selected borewells located in residential, commercial, and peri-urban areas during different seasons to assess spatial and temporal variations in water quality. Physico-chemical parameters including pH, temperature, total dissolved solids (TDS), alkalinity, hardness, chlorides, nitrates, sulphates, phosphates, and fluoride were analyzed using standard analytical procedures. The results revealed considerable variations among sampling locations and seasons, with higher concentrations of several parameters recorded during the dry season, likely due to reduced dilution and increased groundwater extraction. Elevated levels of TDS, hardness, alkalinity, chlorides, nitrates, phosphates, and fluoride were observed in some samples, indicating the influence of urban activities and local geological conditions on groundwater quality