Hydro-Chemical Characterization and Quality Appraisal of Drinking Water Sources in the Indian Western Himalayas.

Gateway to safe drinking water is a fundamental human right, though millions continue to face water scarcity and waterborne health risks due to contamination. This study evaluates drinking water quality in Indian Western Himalayas, District Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. The study focuses on physicochemical characterization, heavy metal presence and microbial contamination and investigates their relationship with disease incidence. Although physicochemical parameters such as pH, total dissolved solids, turbidity and conductivity were largely within the safe limits but all the water samples contained coliform bacteria indicating microbial contamination. Heavy metal analysis revealed elevated levels of lead, mercury and molybdenum in Lajora and Rajpora areas of the district. Epidemiological data demonstrated a strong positive correlation between coliform counts and diarrheal disease burden (R² = 0.78, p = 0.046), with Rajpora accounting for 37.9% of 1,320 total cases. The simultaneous occurrence of microbiological and chemical contamination, particularly in Rajpora, suggests synergistic health effects requiring urgent multi-barrier intervention strategies. This research provides critical baseline data for evidence-based water quality management and public health interventions in the Kashmir Himalayan region.