DETECTION OF HIGHER CONCENTRATION LEVELS OF CR AND PB IN THE EFFLUENTS AND WATER TABLE OF URBAN AREAS OF WAH

Over the past few decades, due to increase of industrialization and urbanization in the wah town and surrounding areas, the risk of groundwater contamination has increased greatly. all most all the industrial and municipal waste of pakistan ordinance factories (pof) wah is being disposed off indiscriminately in the natural surface water stream, dhamrah kas nullah (dkn) having 50 cusecs perennial flow which is a major source of recharge for shallow aquifer under lying new urbanization along the bank of dkn. practically dkn has become sink for industrial effluent. due to proven recharge from dkn the unconfined shallow aquifer in the study area became contaminated. analysis of the water samples from a number of effluents entering into stream and groundwater samples collected from dug wells were tested for health related trace elements. the results indicate that the industrial and municipal effluents contain high amount of health hazard trace elements which are being migrated into the unconfined shallow aquifer due to recharge from dkn and it has become a source of health hazard for local inhabitants. suggestions to improve the situation are also made.