Hydro-chemistry of groundwater in a North Indian city and its suitability assessment for drinking and irrigation purposes

Aim : The current study aimed to identify the hydro-geological processes that control the groundwater chemistry. Further, groundwater quality was also evaluated for drinking and irrigation purposes. Methodology : Groundwater samples were collected from a semi-arid region of North India i.e., Ellenabad, Sirsa, Haryana. The samples were analyzed following the American Public Health Association standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. Results : Most of the groundwater samples of study area fall under hard category. The saline nature of groundwater can be attributed to high concentration of total dissolved salts (340 +/- 104 mg l(-1)). Majority of the groundwater samples showed fluoride concentration below the permissible limit of WHO and BIS (1.0 mg l(-1)). Multivariate analysis including sodium absorption ratio was calculated to assess the water quality for irrigation purpose and it was found appropriate for majority of crops, except for sensitive plant species. [GRAPHICS] Interpretation : Potability assessment of groundwater showed that more than 40% samples were unacceptable for drinking purpose without any prior treatment, hence, it is essential to conduct a routine monitoring of groundwater to determine its aptness for drinking, domestic and agriculture purposes.