GROUNDWATER QUALITY INDEX, STATISTICAL CORRELATION,SEASONAL AND ANNUAL COMPARATIVE HYDROCHEMICALANALYSIS OF ATHGARH BASIN, INDIA: AN INTEGRATEDEMPIRICAL STUDYROSALIN DASAbstract This study aimed to explore and understand groundwater hydrochemistry, evaluate thegroundwater quality of the Athgarh basin comprehensively using Water Quality Index (WQI) andstatistical correlations. Accordingly, the quality of the groundwater was assessed for drinkingpurposes. Moreover, seasonal variation and annual variation of water quality have been monitoredfor two consecutive years after systematic collection of groundwater samples and their methodicalphysico-chemical analysis. For calculating the WQI, 13 parameters (viz., pH, EC, total dissolvedsolids, total hardness, calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, bicarbonate, chloride, fluoride,sulphate and nitrate) have been considered. The analyzed value is compared with the prescribedlimits of WHO for drinking suitability. Hydrological facies were evaluated through Piperâstrilinear diagram and Chadhaâs diagram using cation and anion values. A systematic statisticalcorrelation study deciphers the significant linear relationship among different pairs of waterquality parameters. |