Suitability evaluation of groundwater for drinking and agriculture purpose in Una District, Himachal Pradesh (India)

Abstract

Abstract The study’s goal is to analyze the suitability of the sub-surface water of Una district for drinking and agriculture purposes. The data related to physico-chemical parameters of groundwater of district Una was obtained from Central Groundwater Board’s website and compared to the BIS standard (10500:2012). The values of Ca2+, Cl−, F−, and SO4 2- were found to be below the acceptable limit. pH, TDS, Alkalinity, Mg2+, TH, and NO3 − had values that were above the acceptable limit at a few sites, but within the maximum permissible limit. Furthermore, as per the observed values of Total dissolved solids (TDS), Electric conductivity (EC), Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), Percentage sodium (Na%) and Permeability Index (PI), the groundwater of Una district is suitable for irrigation purposes. However, Kelly’s Ratio (KR), Magnesium ratio (MR) and Residual sodium-carbonate (RSC) values revealed that groundwater is unfit for irrigation at few sites only. The value of Corrosivity Ratio (CR) was more than 01 for 11 sites indicating that the groundwater of these sites is corrosive in nature and can be transported only via non-corrosive pipes in these locations.