Geospatial Assessment of Ground Water Quality and Associated Health Problems in the Western Region of India

Abstract

Groundwater constitutes a significant component of freshwater resources in India being vital for its economy and domestic water security. The quantity, quality and accessibility of water resources forms the basis of balanced socio-economic development and its optimum utilization cannot be sustained unless its quality is assessed. The current study tries to access the quality and suitability of groundwater for drinking purposes in western drier parts of India in the state of Rajasthan. Based on collected data, selected hydro-geochemical parameters, the quality of water has been determined and Water Quality Index (WQI) have been prepared using GIS applications. Applying the Inverse Distance Weighting method, WQI values for 89 villages in the area have been computed, which ranged between 71.23 and 447.39. While 68% of the region had “poor water quality”, only 32% is sustained as ‘good water’ for consumption. The fluoride content ranging between 1.66 and 8.60 mg/L and TDS > 1000 mg/L with average pH levels > 7 (8–9 pH) were found to be very high amongst all the 12 water quality parameters taken for the study. The northeastern region with a WQI value of >250 had the worst water quality. Furthermore, the existing water quality is also examined for influencing two water borne diseases, i.e., gastroenteritis and fluorosis in the region. The study thus establishes that the majority of groundwater in the region is beyond the permissible safer consumption limits, and a large population of the region, which is directly dependent on groundwater sources, is prone to water borne health hazards. A significantly high correlation was observed between Specific Water Quality Parameters in the region and prevalence of gastroenteritis (and fluorosis diseases with R2 = 0.530 and R2 = 0.813, respectively).

A GIS-based analysis of groundwater manganese and nitrate concentration for sustainable water supply

“…So that the analysis and discussion stages can be carried out until the conclusions and suggestions in this study can be carried out. ArcGIS software was utilized in this study using the Inverse Distance Weight (IDW) interpolation method [11]. Inverse Distance Weight (IDW) is a method for interpolation which frequently used in GIS.…”

Integrated Analysis of Water Quality in Artificial Fishponds Using WQI and GIS in South-East Sierra Leone

“…The WQI and GIS techniques present an innovative and comprehensive method for monitoring and enhancing the water quality index in artificial fishponds (Brown et al, 1972). These approaches allow us to evaluate the spatial distribution of key parameters, predict water quality changes over time, and optimize management strategies for sustainable aquaculture practices (Ali & Ahmad, 2020;Singh et al, 2022).…”

Assessment of Groundwater Quality using Water Quality Index, and Geo-Spatial Tools

“…The formation of balanced socioeconomic development is based on the quantity, quality, and safe accessibility of water resources, and its optimal use cannot be maintained without an evaluation of its quality. In 1965, Horton established the water quality index (WQI), and later on, Brown 1972 made some improvements to it, further modifications were performed by a Scottish Scientist Deininger in 1975 at the Scottish development department (Singh et al, 2022). The WQI is a mathematical equation that was developed to simplify the communication of information to all stakeholders by converting a significant amount of water quality data into a single number.…”

“…The WQI is a mathematical equation that was developed to simplify the communication of information to all stakeholders by converting a significant amount of water quality data into a single number. Various research studies were conducted by researchers, some of them are discussed below; (Singh et al, 2022) determined the groundwater quality using WQI and GIS applications in 89 small villages. Twelve water quality parameters were selected for the study area.…”