Groundwater Quality Assessment Using Water Quality Index: A Case Study of Nagarparkar, Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

In the present study, groundwater quality of hilly Nagarparkar area was assessed using water quality index (WQI). WQI was calculated based on the analysis of physicochemical parameters of groundwater viz. pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, total alkalinity (TA), total hardness (TH), chloride (Cl), dissolved oxygen(DO), sulphate (SO4), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), cadmium(Cd), nickel (Ni), copper(Cu), manganese (Mn), arsenic (As) and fluoride (F). Groundwater samples were collected from the dug-wells of the study area, were preserved and analyzed by using standard lab methods. The analysis results of groundwater samples revealed that the physiochemical parameters, pH, Mg, fluoride, SO4, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, and As in the groundwater were within the WHO permissible limit while rest of parameters exceeded the WHO permissible limit. Based on water quality index (WQI), the considered water quality parameters were found in various categories. Category wise, 20% of water samples had excellent, 15% good, 15% poor, 20% very poor water quality while the 30% of the samples were unsuitable for drinking purpose. Overall, the groundwater quality of most of the area was not suitable for drinking and domestic purposes