Publication:
Exploring Groundwater Quality Assessment: A Geostatistical and Integrated Water Quality Indices Perspective

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dc.citedby7
dc.contributor.authorMasood M.U.en_US
dc.contributor.authorRashid M.en_US
dc.contributor.authorHaider S.en_US
dc.contributor.authorNaz I.en_US
dc.contributor.authorPande C.B.en_US
dc.contributor.authorHeddam S.en_US
dc.contributor.authorAlshehri F.en_US
dc.contributor.authorElkhrachy I.en_US
dc.contributor.authorAhsan A.en_US
dc.contributor.authorSammen S.S.en_US
dc.contributor.authorid57062195300en_US
dc.contributor.authorid59502467800en_US
dc.contributor.authorid58188293400en_US
dc.contributor.authorid58803441600en_US
dc.contributor.authorid59416065400en_US
dc.contributor.authorid25226555100en_US
dc.contributor.authorid58728239400en_US
dc.contributor.authorid55481426800en_US
dc.contributor.authorid36008141300en_US
dc.contributor.authorid57192093108en_US
dc.date.accessioned2025-03-03T07:48:51Z
dc.date.available2025-03-03T07:48:51Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.description.abstractGroundwater is an important source of freshwater. At the same time, anthropogenic activities, in particular, industrialization, urbanization, population growth, and excessive application of fertilizers, are some of the major reasons for groundwater quality deterioration. Therefore, the present study is conducted to evaluate groundwater quality by using integrated water quality indices and a geospatial approach to identify the different water quality zones and propose management strategies for the improvement of groundwater quality. Groundwater quality was evaluated through the physicochemical parameters (pH, chloride (Cl?), fluoride(F?), iron (Fe?2), nitrate (NO3?1), nitrite (NO2), arsenic (As), total hardness, bicarbonate (HCO3?), calcium (Ca+2), magnesium (Mg+2), color, taste, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS)) and microbiological parameters including total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and Escherichia coli of samples collected from the water and sanitation agency (WASA) and urban units. Irrigation parameters crucial to the assessment, including (electrical conductivity (EC), residual sodium carbonates (RSC), and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR)), were also collected at more than 1100 sites within the study area of upper and central Punjab. After collecting the data of physicochemical parameters, the analysis of data was initiated to compute the water quality index for groundwater quality, a four-step protocol in which the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to determine the weights of selected parameters by generating a pairwise matrix, on the relative importance of parameters using the Satty scale. The index was then classified into five classes for quality assessment of drinking water (excellent, good, medium, bad, and very bad) and four classes for irrigation water quality assessment (excellent, good, permissible, and unsuitable). After computing the index values for drinking as well as irrigation purposes, the values were interpolated, and various maps were developed to identify the status of groundwater quality in different zones of the study area. Mitigation strategies for water pollution involve source control, such as monitoring industrial discharge points and managing waste properly. Additionally, treating wastewater through primary, secondary, or tertiary stages significantly improves water quality, reducing contaminants like heavy metals, microbiological agents, and chemical ions, safeguarding water resources. The findings highlight significant regional variations in water quality issues, with heavy metal concerns concentrated notably in Lahore and widespread emerging microbiological contamination across all studied divisions. This suggests a systemic problem linked to untreated industrial effluents and poorly managed sewerage systems. The computed indices for the Lahore, Sargodha, and Rawalpindi divisions indicate water quality ranging from marginal to unfit, underscoring the urgency for remediation. Conversely, other divisions fall within a medium class, potentially suitable for drinking purposes. Notably, microbiological contamination at 27% poses a major challenge for water supply agencies, emphasizing the critical need for pre-disposal primary, secondary, and tertiary treatments. These treatments could potentially rehabilitate 9%, 35%, and 41% of the study area, respectively, pointing toward tangible, scalable solutions critical for safeguarding broader water resources and public health. With the current pace of water quality deterioration, access to drinking water is a major problem for the public. The government should prioritize implementing strict monitoring mechanisms for industrial effluent discharge, emphasizing proper waste management to curb groundwater contamination. Establishing comprehensive pre-disposal treatments, especially primary, secondary, and tertiary stages, is imperative to address the prevalent heavy metal and microbiological issues, potentially rehabilitating up to 41% of affected areas. Additionally, creating proactive policies and allocating resources for sustainable groundwater management are crucial steps for ensuring broader water resource security and public health in the face of deteriorating water quality. Therefore, urgent regional action is needed to address escalating anthropogenic threats to groundwater, emphasizing the crucial need for proactive measures to safeguard public health and ensure sustainable water resources. ? 2023 by the authors.en_US
dc.description.natureFinalen_US
dc.identifier.ArtNo138
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/w16010138
dc.identifier.issue1
dc.identifier.scopus2-s2.0-85181922248
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85181922248&doi=10.3390%2fw16010138&partnerID=40&md5=15de3a8b47c3c3ddb35da3c1043d7e47
dc.identifier.urihttps://irepository.uniten.edu.my/handle/123456789/37222
dc.identifier.volume16
dc.publisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)en_US
dc.relation.ispartofAll Open Access; Gold Open Access
dc.sourceScopus
dc.sourcetitleWater (Switzerland)
dc.subjectLahore
dc.subjectPakistan
dc.subjectPunjab [Pakistan]
dc.subjectRawalpindi
dc.subjectSargodha
dc.subjectChemicals removal (water treatment)
dc.subjectChlorine compounds
dc.subjectDeterioration
dc.subjectDissolved oxygen
dc.subjectFluorine compounds
dc.subjectGeographic information systems
dc.subjectGroundwater
dc.subjectGroundwater pollution
dc.subjectGroundwater resources
dc.subjectHeavy metals
dc.subjectHydrochemistry
dc.subjectIrrigation
dc.subjectMagnesium compounds
dc.subjectPopulation statistics
dc.subjectPotable water
dc.subjectQuality control
dc.subjectRemote sensing
dc.subjectWastewater treatment
dc.subjectWater supply
dc.subjectAnalytical Hierarchy Process
dc.subjectGeostatistical
dc.subjectGroundwater quality
dc.subjectGroundwater quality assessment
dc.subjectMicrobiological contaminations
dc.subjectPhysico - chemical parameters
dc.subjectRemote-sensing
dc.subjectStudy areas
dc.subjectWater quality indexes
dc.subjectWaters resources
dc.subjectanalytical hierarchy process
dc.subjectdrinking water
dc.subjectgeostatistics
dc.subjectGIS
dc.subjectgroundwater resource
dc.subjectheavy metal
dc.subjectpublic health
dc.subjectremote sensing
dc.subjectwater quality
dc.subjectWater quality
dc.titleExploring Groundwater Quality Assessment: A Geostatistical and Integrated Water Quality Indices Perspectiveen_US
dc.typeRetracteden_US
dspace.entity.typePublication
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