MADHURIMA KANJI AND SOMA MUKHERJEE
Abstract
Groundwater quality assessment is crucial for sustainable water resource management, particularly in coastal regions where salinity intrusion and anthropogenic activities often compromise water suitability. This study evaluates the groundwater quality and hydro chemical facies along with multivariate statistical and geospatial analysis in the Patharpratima block of South 24-Parganas, West Bengal, India - a region vulnerable to geogenic and anthropogenic contamination. A total of 20 groundwater samples were collected from shallow and deep tubewells and analyzed for major physicochemical parameters. Hydro chemical facies were determined using Piper diagrams and found to be Na-K-Cl-SO4 type. Gibbs plot indicated that evaporation, rock water interaction, etc. may regulate the chemistry of groundwater. WQI analysis showed that 85% of groundwater samples were unfit for drinking, largely due to high chloride, sodium, iron, and TDS from geogenic sources and saltwater intrusion. ANN-based prediction and sensitivity analysis indicated Fe, Na, EC, and TDS as the dominant factors influencing WQI.