Hydrogeochemical Assessment of Groundwater and Suitability Analysis for Domestic and Agricultural Utility in Southern Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Groundwater is a critical water supply for safe drinking water, agriculture, and industry worldwide. In the Khanewal district of Punjab, Pakistan, groundwater has severely deteriorated during the last few decades due to environmental changes and anthropogenic activities. Therefore, 68 groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for their main ions and trace elements to investigate the suitability of groundwater sources for drinking and agricultural purposes. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were employed to determine the major factors influencing groundwater quality. To assess the groundwater’s appropriateness for drinking and irrigation, drinking and agricultural indices were used. The pH of the groundwater samples ranged from 6.9 to 9.2, indicating that the aquifers were slightly acidic to alkaline. The major cations were distributed as follows: Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+. Meanwhile, the anions are distributed as follows: HCO3− > SO42− > Cl− > F−. The main hydrochemical facies were identified as a mixed type; however, a mixed magnesium, calcium, and chloride pattern was observed. The reverse ion exchange process helps in exchanging Na+ with Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions in the groundwater system. Rock weathering processes, such as the dissolution of calcite, dolomite, and gypsum minerals, dominated the groundwater hydrochemistry. According to the Weight Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WAWQI), 50% of the water samples were unsafe for drinking. The Wilcox diagram, USSL diagram, and some other agricultural indices resulted in around 32% of the groundwater samples being unsuitable for irrigation purposes. The Khanewal’s groundwater quality was vulnerable due to geology and the influence of anthropogenic activities. For groundwater sustainability in Khanewal, management strategies and policies are required.

Hydrogeochemical Characterization, and Suitability Assessment of Drinking Groundwater: Application of Geostatistical Approach and Geographic Information System

“…This observation recommends that rock weathering is the foremost driving factor controlling the groundwater chemistry in the study area of both Ghotki and Nawab Shah districts. The Gibbs plots results were found consistent with the recent relevant studies conducted in Pakistan (Talib et al, 2019;Iqbal et al, 2021;Ullah et al, 2021).…”

“…Pakistan is also facing the same problem regarding groundwater contamination with As and other heavy metals have affected the groundwater quality in many regions of Pakistan, especially in Sindh, Province (Ali et al, 2019b;Talib et al, 2019;Siddique et al, 2020;Iqbal et al, 2021;Ullah et al, 2021). According to a survey by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), arsenic was detected in the aquifers of Sindh Province, such as Manchar lake, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, and Sanghar, 16-36% of people were affected due to ingestion of As contaminated drinking groundwater as tap water.…”

Evaluation of Groundwater Suitability for Irrigation Purpose Using Gis and Irrigation Water Quality Indices

“…The Kelly's Ratio (KR) for groundwater from the study area was in the range of 0 to 8.62 with a mean value of 3.19. High values of KR have also recorded in previous studies (Iqbal et al, 2021;Meena & Bisht, 2020;Raihan & Alam, 2008;Vadiati et al, 2019). A high KR suggests a significantly high concentration of Na + or the significantly low concentration of Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ .…”

Non-Carcinogenic Health Risk Evaluation of Elevated Fluoride in Groundwater and Its Suitability Assessment for Drinking Purposes Based on Water Quality Index

“…Fluorosis, both teeth and skeletal, is a worldwide issue that has been established in recent research studies [ 20 ]. The overuse and continuous drinking of GW for domestic reasons occur primarily in semiarid and rural parts of Pakistan, potentially causing the GW quality to deteriorate [ 21 , 22 ]. Conversely, in developing countries around the world, such as Pakistan, India, and China, growing industrialization, mining, and urbanization are serious environmental concerns [ 23 ].…”