Vulnerability Assessment of Groundwater in Industrialized Tiruppur Area of South India using GIS-based DRASTIC model

Abstract

Identification of groundwater vulnerability is important in the utilization and protection of groundwater resources. The present study assessed vulnerability of the Tiruppur taluk of Tamil Nadu state in south India where the groundwater is increasingly polluted from industrialization (textile) and over population. Mitigation of this threat demanded a careful water resource management and thorough groundwater susceptibility assessment with the help of vulnerability map in DRASTIC index model and weighted overlay analysis method in GIS from the evaluation of depth to water table, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of the vadose zone, and hydraulic conductivity. The drastic index map of this study classified the area into very low, low, medium, high and very high vulnerability and demarcated the areas of Mangalam, Mudalipalaiyam, Veerapandi, Peruntoluvu, Kettanur and Avanashipalaiyam as high and very highly vulnerable. Sensitivity analysis showed very low index for depth to water table (68 %), net recharge (79 %) and impact of vadose zone (75 %), indicating their higher influence on vulnerability. This vulnerability map might serve as a starting point for improving the management and planning of groundwater in this area.