Groundwater hydrochemistry and consumption patterns in Chandwara community development block of Jharkhand state in India

Abstract

AbstractGroundwater quality in rural Chandwara block in Jharkhand State in India is crucial to human livelihood in the region. A study undertaken to examine groundwater quality and consumption patterns in the region revealed that average water consumption per family and per capita were 200–517 and 19.7–47 L per day, respectively, while per capita potable water consumption was 1.2‒4.37 L per day. Groundwater samples were collected primarily from tube-wells and a few from dug-wells (n = 143) in the block during post-monsoon season of 2018–2019 (October 2018 to March 2019). Water quality parameters like Fe, TDS, Total hardness, Ca and turbidity were above the permissible limits of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and WHO in 68%, 36%, 39%, 58% and 15.4% of groundwater samples, respectively. Most of the samples (67.9%) belonged to Ca–Mg–HCO3 class while a few (28.6%) were Ca-Mg-SO4-Cl type and the rest (3.6%) were in Ca–Mg–Cl class. As per Gibbs Plot, most samples belonged to the rock weathering region, implying contribution of rock forming minerals to groundwater chemistry. Factor analysis revealed that water quality was controlled by four principal factors to the extents of 43.3, 13.5, 10.9 and 7.3%, respectively, making a cumulative contribution of about 75%. Parameter loading in Factor 1 strongly indicated to various salts dissolving in groundwater from the rocks while Factor 2 was loaded by Fe coming from Fe-bearing rocks and turbidity that is positively influenced by the former. Factor 3 is loaded by pH and alkalinity, pointing to the role of carbonates contributed by the rocks while factor 4, which is loaded by F− and Na, indicates to F−incorporation in water from NaF-bearing rocks.