Anomalously High Fluoride Content in Groundwater from Basalt Aquifer:A Case Study from Kakalghar, Maharashtra, India

Groundwater occurring in basalt aquifer, in general, contains fluoride content within the limit drinking water standard prescribed by the World Health Organization. In addition, groundwater in aquifers located in high rain fall regions also contains low content of fluoride. On the contrary, groundwater occurring in basalt aquifer in Kakalghar, located within the Deccan volcanic province, that receives > 3000 mm of rain has registered > 3 ppm of fluoride. This case is similar to Karbi-Anglom district of Assam that receives > 3000 mm of rain, where the alluvial aquifer contains > 15 ppm of fluoride. Children drinking this water are suffering from dental fluorosis and adults have developed kidney stones. In this paper we analyze the causes for high fluoride in groundwater in basalt aquifer. This study demonstrates that water quality and aquifer characteristics should be assessed thoroughly before the communities are supplies drinking water under rural water management programme.