High flouride levels found in city water

HYDERABAD: Recent studies conducted by the Central Ground Water Board have revealed higher than permissible fluoride levels in deep water sources in various parts of the city.
Analysis of 314 groundwater samples from borewells and traditional wells showed that the fluoride content ranged from 0.17 parts per million (ppm) to 3.3 ppm while the general range is 0.5 ppm to 1.7 ppm.Seven per cent of the samples showed more than 1.5 ppm of fluoride.
The permissible limit for fluoride is 1 ppm and the acceptable limit 1.5 ppm. High fluoride content was recorded in Kacheguda, Nacharam, Karkhana, Trimulgherry, Amberpet, Hi-Tec City, Mettuguda Balanagar and Suraram. CGWB regional director (southern Region) M Veeranna told The Times of India that one of the main reasons for high fluoride concentration, especially in deep-seated fractures at BJR Nagar and Borabanda, was the poor flushing of water.
Each year, shallow water sources are flushed by rainfall, which washes or dilutes the fluoride content. However, with shallow water sources drying up, people are tapping deeper sources, which contain high levels of fluoride as they are not flushed, he explained.
High fluoride levels and its continuous intake affects the teeth and causes swelling of the joints, hunchback and skeletal fluorosis.