Source identification and assessment of physico-chemical parameters and heavy metals in drinking water of Islampur area, Swat, Pakistan.

In Pakistan large number of population is using surface and groundwater for drinking purposes. The contamination of these water bodies by toxic metals and providing safe drinking water to public is a big challenge for the government especially in areas where there is geological control on ground water. The present study was conducted to assess the drinking water quality of Islampur area, Swat, in the close vicinity of mélange zone. Forty samples were collected from different ground water sources such as tube wells, springs, dug well sand hand pumps. These samples were analyzed for physical and chemical parameters including heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Ni and Cr).The results were compared with international standards, which show that most of the physico-chemical parameters such as total suspended solids, pH, salinity, total dissolved solids, chloride, sodium, potassium and zinc are within the permissible limits. Whereas electrical conductivity, alkalinity, hardness, lead, chromium, nickel, calcium and magnesium were above their permissible limit. In this respect the drinking water quality of the Islampur area, district Swat is unsafe for drinking purposes. This study indicates that the heavy metal contamination in the study area could be attributed to the mélange zone rocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]