Sustainable groundwater management through water quality index and geochemical insights in Valsad India

Abstract Groundwater quality assessment is crucial for sustainable water resource management and public health protection. This study evaluated the Water Quality Index (WQI) of groundwater in the southern part of Gujarat focusing on the Valsad District. Groundwater in this region occurs in porous, u...

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Main Authors: Keval H Jodhani, Nitesh Gupta, Sanidhya Dadia, Harsh Patel, Dhruvesh Patel, Punyawi Jamjareegulgarn, Sudhir Kumar Singh, Upaka Rathnayake
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-92053-1
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author Keval H Jodhani
Nitesh Gupta
Sanidhya Dadia
Harsh Patel
Dhruvesh Patel
Punyawi Jamjareegulgarn
Sudhir Kumar Singh
Upaka Rathnayake
author_facet Keval H Jodhani
Nitesh Gupta
Sanidhya Dadia
Harsh Patel
Dhruvesh Patel
Punyawi Jamjareegulgarn
Sudhir Kumar Singh
Upaka Rathnayake
author_sort Keval H Jodhani
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Groundwater quality assessment is crucial for sustainable water resource management and public health protection. This study evaluated the Water Quality Index (WQI) of groundwater in the southern part of Gujarat focusing on the Valsad District. Groundwater in this region occurs in porous, unconsolidated formations and fracture formations, both under groundwater table conditions and confined aquifers. Various parameters including Nitrate (NO3¯), pH, Calcium (Ca2+), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Hardness (TH), Magnesium (Mg2+), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Potassium (K+), Sodium (Na+), Sulphate (SO4 2−), Chloride (Cl¯), Bicarbonate (HCO3¯), Silicate (SiO4 4−), and Fluoride (F¯) were analyzed to assess groundwater quality. Results indicate that most of the parameters fell within acceptable permissible limits for drinking water, except for Muli and Nanaponda villages with the parameters Cl¯, EC, and TDS exceeding the permissible limit. The WQI analysis revealed that 31.25% of water samples from different villages were found in the excellent category (WQI < 25). About 68.75% of samples from 16 villages were classified as good quality category (WQI ∼ 25–50). Overall, the WQI ranged from 14.20 to 41.98, suggesting that groundwater in the Valsad district is suitable for drinking. The Piper diagram analysis of water samples collected from the field indicated unique geochemical compositions and good water. The diagram revealed that the Ca2+ was the predominant cation, followed by K+, Na+, and Mg2+. Among the anions, the HCO3 − showed the highest concentrations, followed by SO4 2−, NO3 −, and Cl−. This dominance pattern demonstrated that the weathering of minerals significantly influenced the groundwater. This study recommends remediation for areas with reduced water quality to address geogenic and anthropogenic contamination.
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spelling doaj-art-1eb969994e30447497fa7e332665ebff2025-08-20T02:56:06ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-03-0115111510.1038/s41598-025-92053-1Sustainable groundwater management through water quality index and geochemical insights in Valsad IndiaKeval H Jodhani0Nitesh Gupta1Sanidhya Dadia 2Harsh Patel3Dhruvesh Patel4Punyawi Jamjareegulgarn 5Sudhir Kumar Singh6Upaka Rathnayake7Department of Civil Engineering, Institute of Technology, Nirma UniversityDepartment of Civil Engineering, Institute of Technology, Nirma UniversityDepartment of Civil Engineering, Institute of Technology, Nirma UniversityDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Technology, Nirma UniversityDepartment of Civil Engineering, School of Technology, Pandit Deendayal Energy UniversityKing Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Prince of Chumphon CampusK. Banerjee Centre of Atmospheric and Ocean Studies, IIDS, University of AllahabadDepartment of Civil Engineering and Construction, Faculty of Engineering and Design, Atlantic Technological UniversityAbstract Groundwater quality assessment is crucial for sustainable water resource management and public health protection. This study evaluated the Water Quality Index (WQI) of groundwater in the southern part of Gujarat focusing on the Valsad District. Groundwater in this region occurs in porous, unconsolidated formations and fracture formations, both under groundwater table conditions and confined aquifers. Various parameters including Nitrate (NO3¯), pH, Calcium (Ca2+), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Hardness (TH), Magnesium (Mg2+), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Potassium (K+), Sodium (Na+), Sulphate (SO4 2−), Chloride (Cl¯), Bicarbonate (HCO3¯), Silicate (SiO4 4−), and Fluoride (F¯) were analyzed to assess groundwater quality. Results indicate that most of the parameters fell within acceptable permissible limits for drinking water, except for Muli and Nanaponda villages with the parameters Cl¯, EC, and TDS exceeding the permissible limit. The WQI analysis revealed that 31.25% of water samples from different villages were found in the excellent category (WQI < 25). About 68.75% of samples from 16 villages were classified as good quality category (WQI ∼ 25–50). Overall, the WQI ranged from 14.20 to 41.98, suggesting that groundwater in the Valsad district is suitable for drinking. The Piper diagram analysis of water samples collected from the field indicated unique geochemical compositions and good water. The diagram revealed that the Ca2+ was the predominant cation, followed by K+, Na+, and Mg2+. Among the anions, the HCO3 − showed the highest concentrations, followed by SO4 2−, NO3 −, and Cl−. This dominance pattern demonstrated that the weathering of minerals significantly influenced the groundwater. This study recommends remediation for areas with reduced water quality to address geogenic and anthropogenic contamination.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-92053-1Drinking suitabilityGISValsadWQIPotentially toxic elements
spellingShingle Keval H Jodhani
Nitesh Gupta
Sanidhya Dadia
Harsh Patel
Dhruvesh Patel
Punyawi Jamjareegulgarn
Sudhir Kumar Singh
Upaka Rathnayake
Sustainable groundwater management through water quality index and geochemical insights in Valsad India
Scientific Reports
Drinking suitability
GIS
Valsad
WQI
Potentially toxic elements
title Sustainable groundwater management through water quality index and geochemical insights in Valsad India
title_full Sustainable groundwater management through water quality index and geochemical insights in Valsad India
title_fullStr Sustainable groundwater management through water quality index and geochemical insights in Valsad India
title_full_unstemmed Sustainable groundwater management through water quality index and geochemical insights in Valsad India
title_short Sustainable groundwater management through water quality index and geochemical insights in Valsad India
title_sort sustainable groundwater management through water quality index and geochemical insights in valsad india
topic Drinking suitability
GIS
Valsad
WQI
Potentially toxic elements
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-92053-1
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