Journal of Environmental Health Sciences (한국환경보건학회지)

Korean Society of Environmental Health (한국환경보건학회)
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Water Quality Monitoring and Risk Assessment for Groundwater at Hoengseong, Gangwon-do Province

강원도 횡성지역의 지하수 수질 모니터링 및 인체 위해성 평가

  • Gang, Seung-Hye (Department of Environmental Energy Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology) ;
  • Kim, Ki-Tae (Department of Environmental Energy Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology)
  • 강승혜 (서울과학기술대학교 에너지환경공학과) ;
  • 김기태 (서울과학기술대학교 에너지환경공학과)
  • Received : 2021.07.29
  • Accepted : 2021.08.19
  • Published : 2021.08.31
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Abstract

Background: Concerns have been raised regarding the criteria of groundwater, in particular in Gwangwon-do Province where many residents drink groundwater due to the poor supply of tap water and a high nonconformity rate with water quality criteria nationwide. Objectives: Water quality monitoring and risk assessment were conducted for groundwater in Hoengseong, Gangwon-do Province. Methods: A total of 46 items required for meeting drinking water criteria were analyzed from 258 samples collected from March 2017 through August 2018 (152 sites in 2017 and 106 sites in 2018). Risk assessment was conducted for two non-carcinogens (F- and NO3-N), and one carcinogen (i.e., arsenic) based on their high nonconformity to water quality criteria. Results: Water quality analysis revealed that the total proportion of nonconformities was determined to be 27.9%. The nonconformity rate for each content item is as follows: total colony counts (1.6%), total coliform (6.2%), Escherichia coli (1.2%), F- (8.1%), arsenic (4.7%), NO3-N (8.1%), pH (1.2%), manganese (0.4%), and turbidity (5.8%). Risk assessment indicated that fluoride induced a hazard quotient greater than 1 with the 95% UCL (Upper Confidence Limit) concentration of the total 258 sites and average, median, and 95% UCL concentrations of nonconformity sites. For NO3-N, there was no human health risk. For arsenic, the excess cancer risk exceeded the acceptable cancer risk of 1×10-6 with the average and 95% UCL concentrations of total 258 sites and average, median, and 95% UCL concentrations of nonconformity sites. Conclusions: This study suggests that it is necessary to expand water quality monitoring of groundwater and conduct a more detailed risk assessment in order to establish a health care plan for the residents of Hoengseong, Gangwon-do Province.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

이 연구는 서울과학기술대학교 교내연구비의 지원으로 수행되었습니다.

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