VISAKHAPATNAM: Andhra Pradesh has recorded 26.87 per cent of groundwater samples with Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC) levels above the permissible limit of 2.5 meq/L (milliequivalents per liter), according to the Annual Ground Water Report 2025 released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
The State’s percentage is higher than the national average of 11.27 per cent, placing it among the most affected States along with Delhi at 51.11 per cent, and Uttarakhand at 41.94 per cent. The report evaluates groundwater quality, seasonal changes and irrigation suitability.
According to the report, while monsoon recharge improved water quality parameters in several locations, an almost equal number of sites recorded deterioration, highlighting the strong influence of local aquifer conditions, and contamination sources.
Nationally, the assessment found that groundwater remains largely suitable for irrigation. About 94.3 per cent of samples fell under the “excellent” category for Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR < 10), and 98.9 per cent of samples recorded SAR < 26, indicating low alkali hazard for most regions. Only 1.11 per cent exceeded the permissible SAR limit, with higher values noted in Bihar, Delhi and Rajasthan.
In Andhra Pradesh, a total of 1,135 samples were analysed, of which 111 recorded electrical conductivity above 3,000 µS/cm, accounting for 9.78 per cent. The report also found that 275 samples exceeded the permissible nitrate limit of 45 mg/L, while 102 samples crossed the fluoride limit of 1.5 mg/L, representing 8.99 per cent of the total.
The study further identified multiple groundwater locations in the State where uranium concentrations surpassed the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) limit of 30 ppb. These hotspots were recorded across several districts, including Bapatla (Mulapalem), Guntur (Varagami), Nellore (Kartamoadu), Palnadu (Rompicherla), and Prakasam (Vengaiahpalem). Additional clusters of high uranium levels were reported in Annamayya district across locations such as Bowreeddygaripalli, Galiveedu-Alt, Chinnamandiyam, Basani Khonda, Chintaparti-1, and Sanipai.
Kurnool district recorded elevated readings at Karivemula and Naganathanahalli. Similar findings were noted in Sri Sathya Sai district, including sites in Kadiri, Madakasira, Puttaparthi and Tanakal. In Tirupati district, Damalcheruvu, Mungilipattu and Balijepalli were among the affected locations.To address contamination, the report recommends a mix of preventive and treatment measures. These include improved fertiliser management to curb nitrate levels, community-level defluoridation units in fluoride-affected regions, and suitable treatment technologies such as adsorption or reverse osmosis for uranium contamination.