Statistical approach to evaluate groundwater contamination for drinking and irrigation suitability

The objective of this study was to evaluate the groundwater quality using Water Quality Index (WQI) for drinking and irrigation uses, of Gohana block of Sonipat district, (Haryana) India. Total thirteen groundwater quality parameters: calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), HCO3, nitrate (NO3-), chloride (Cl-), sulphate (SO42-), total hardness (T.H), total dissolved solids (TDS), hydrogen ion concentration (pH) and electrical conductivity (EC) were measured from groundwater samples. WQI is a useful statistical tool for simplifying, reporting and interpreting complex information obtained from groundwater. WQI is a single number that expressed the quality of water by integrating the water quality variables. Its purpose is to provide a simple and concise method for expressing the water quality for different uses In this study WQI for drinking (WQI(1), WQI(2) and WQI(3)) and irrigation (WQI(4)) uses was estimated using hydrochemical characteristics of each parameter. Result suggested that the 62% groundwater is suitable for safe drinking while 38% is not suitable for drinking use. As per permissible limit of drinking water according to WQI(1), while WQI(2), and WQI(3), showed that 70% and 52% of groundwater is good for drinking use. WQI(4) is an irrigation index which showed that 75% groundwater of study area is suitable for irrigation. The result revealed that the groundwater of few areas needs some degree of treatment before use, and it also needs to be protected from contamination.