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Assessing and mapping the groundwater quality of Taluka Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan, using water quality indices and geospatial tools

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Abstract

Groundwater quality is deteriorating throughout the world day by day; hence, this study was carried out to assess the groundwater quality of Taluka Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan. The assessment of groundwater quality was carried out by randomly collecting forty-three (43) groundwater samples from various locations, and physicochemical parameters of each sample were determined using standard available field and laboratory methods. Also, three (03) standard water quality indices such as the synthetic pollution index (SPI), water quality index (WQI), and pollution index of groundwater (PIG) and ArcGIS 10.3 software were used for evaluation of overall groundwater quality, and development of spatial distribution maps, respectively. Analysis revealed that 96% of the samples were colorless, odorless and had no turbidity; however, 14% of samples had a bitter taste. Furthermore, about 83.74%, 21%, 30.25%, 37%, 24%, and 83.74% of the samples had electrical conductivity, chloride, calcium, magnesium, total hardness, and total dissolved solids beyond the WHO drinking water guidelines, respectively. However, about 2.35%, 32.6%, and 65% of the samples were found slightly hard, hard, and very hard, respectively. Analysis based on the SPI categorized 49%, 30%, and 21% of the samples as moderately polluted, highly polluted, and unsuitable for drinking purposes, respectively, while the WQI categorized 53.53%, 18.6%, 16.27%, 11.6% of the samples as good, poor, very poor, and unsuitable for drinking, respectively. Whereas the PIG classified 55.18%, 13.95%, 5.95%, 11.63%, and 13.95% of the samples as insignificant, low polluted, moderately polluted, highly polluted, and unsuitable for drinking purposes, respectively. Overall, the study revealed that groundwater in most of the parts of the study area is not suitable for drinking purposes. Thus, it is recommended that groundwater of the study area should be treated well prior to its use for drinking purposes.

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Abbreviations

EC:

Electrical conductivity

FAO:

Food and Agriculture Organization

GIS:

Geographical information system

GPS:

Global positioning system

IUCN:

International Union for Conservation of Nature

IWT:

Indus water treaty

NEQS:

National Environmental Quality Standards

NTU:

Nephelometric turbidity unit

OECD:

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

PCRWR:

Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources

RO:

Reverse osmosis

ppm:

Part per million

Ppb:

Part per billion

PIG:

Pollution Index Groundwater

RO:

Reverse osmosis

SPI:

Synthetic Pollution Index

TH:

Total hardness

TDS:

Total dissolved solid

UNICEF:

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund

UC:

Union council

WHO:

World Health Organization

WQI:

Water Quality Index

WWF:

Worldwide Nature Fund

Ca:

Calcium

Mg:

Magnesium

CO3 :

Carbonate

HCO3 :

Bicarbonate

S1, S2…Sn:

Sample number

N:

Newton

mL:

Milliliter

Cl:

Chloride

mg/L:

Milligram per liter

ds/m:

Desi siemen per meter

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Funding

The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation of this manuscript. The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science, and Technology Campus Larkana, Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan

    M. Z. Jamali & M. A. Keerio

  2. MUET: Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamshoro, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan

    G. S. Solangi

  3. Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University of Technology and Skills Development, Khairpur, Sindh, Pakistan

    J. A. Keerio

  4. University of Teknology Petronas, Seri Iskandar, Malaysia

    N. Bheel

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  1. M. Z. Jamali
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  2. G. S. Solangi
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  3. M. A. Keerio
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  4. J. A. Keerio
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  5. N. Bheel
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by [MZJ], [GSS], [MAK], [JAK], AND [NB]. The first draft of the manuscript and analysis of results was written and done by [MZJ], and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to M. Z. Jamali.

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Editorial responsibility: Samareh Mirkia.

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Jamali, M.Z., Solangi, G.S., Keerio, M.A. et al. Assessing and mapping the groundwater quality of Taluka Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan, using water quality indices and geospatial tools. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 20, 8849–8862 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-022-04598-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-022-04598-7

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