Water Quality Index-based Assessment of Groundwater Suitability in Hugli District of West Bengal, India

An essential source for drinking is groundwater supply in alluvial region of Hugli District, West Bengal, India. This study evaluated groundwater's suitableness for human consumption. Thirteen parameters of groundwater including pH, TDS, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, sulphate, chloride, fluoride, nitrate, arsenic and iron of 59 wells of the study area have been evaluated to determine the groundwater suitability. The Water Quality Index (WQI) has been deployed to define the weightage of the various groundwater sample parameters and has also been categorize as: excellent, good, poor, very poor, unsuitable. It has been quite useful to infer the quality of groundwater accessed by people, as well as policymakers in the relevant area. The result of WQI in the relevant area indicates that 40% areas are good and 60% areas are inferior in terms of groundwater quality in 2015 whereas 50% areas are good and 50% areas are inferior in terms of groundwater quality in 2023. Out of 18 blocks, two blocks namely Pandua and Balagarh are arsenic affected above permissible limit for drinking. The recent study indicates that the groundwater in the region where the quality of the water is deteriorating must be treated before being used in order to safeguard against the dangers of anthropogenic and geogenic contamination.