Groundwater Arsenic Contamination Monitoring Network Optimization

In Nepal, arsenic (As) contamination is a major issue of drinking water supply systems. The blanket testing carried out in 25 Nepalese districts on 737,009 samples of ground water showed that the 89.8% of cases arsenic concentrations lower than 10 µg/L, the 7.9% of cases concentrations between 10 and 50 µg/L, and larger than 50 µg/L in the 2.3% of samples . The study area is located between latitudes 26o22′N to 30o27′N and longitude 80o04′E to 88o12′E. The groundwater monitirng network is optimized considering the performance of groundwater protection, the human health risk at contaminated sites, remediation, and groundwater discharge for water supply and to rivers. In this ongoin project, groundwater monitoring network is being optimized considering local and regional scale.