WASTE DISPOSAL OF ROORKEE TOWN A CRITICAL APPRAISAL

Abstract

This dissertation aims at evaluating the impact of the sewage farming practiced at Roorkee Sewage Farm on the soil and groundwater quality. This farm is located near Ibrahimpur village which is 4 Km away from Roorkee town in the Northwest direction. Area of this farm is 100.25 acres and it is divided into 24 plots. These plots are being used for farming by sewage since 1975 and these plots are auctioned by the Municipal Board, Roorkee every third year to local cultivators for cultivation. The sewage from Roorkee town is collected and directed to sewage pumping stations, situated in village Khanjarpur and the other on Mohalla Mahigran. This sewage is being used for irrigation in this farm without any treatment. A large variety of crops and vegetables are being presently grown in this sewage farm such as Wheat, Rice, Sugarcane, Potato, Onion, Cauliflower, Carrot, Radish etc. Field experiments were conducted during December, 1998 to February, 1999 comprising of Groundwater monitoring, Infiltration studies, Soil Moisture studies and Assessment of quality of groundwater and soil at the sewage farm. For the Groundwater monitoring experiments, the historical data of water table monitoring carried out by the State Groundwater Department, Roorkee were processed alongwith the current water table data recorded by this author from the observation wells (Hydrograph Stations) in the vicinity of the study area. It was observed that the groundwater flow direction is from Northwest to Southeast (towards Roorkee town). Infiltration tests were conducted by Concentric Ring Infiltrometer and Soil Moisture content was measured by Depth Moisture Gauge in the sewage farm. The Leaching Fraction and Evapotranspiration were estimated from the Soil Moisture data. The Percolation Rate of sewage . farm was worked out as 21.06. min/in. The Leaching Fraction i.e. the fraction of applied water that passes through the entire rooting depth and percolates downwards was found as 12% to 14%, with the resulting 86% to 88% lost through evapotranspiration.