Water Quality Assessment and Hydrochemistry of ShallowGroundwater in BharaKahuarea, Islamabad, Pakistan

Abstract

The groundwater quality of BharaKahu, Islamabad has been evaluated using water samples collected from 8 localities. The analysis has been performed to determine the drinking and irrigation groundwater quality.The standard procedures were adopted after the American Public Health Association (APHA) for sampling. The analysis revealed the concentration of the Ca, K, Mg, Na, NO3, HCO3, SO4, Cl, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), hardness, turbidity, pH, alkalinity and Electrical Conductivity (EC).The World Health Organization (WHO) standards were used to compare with the results for the determination of the quality of groundwater. It is concluded that the groundwater in the BharaKhau area is not polluted and may be used for drinking purpose. The geochemical evolution of groundwater describes it to be of Ca-HCO3 type showing a single aquifer having a younger groundwater. The suitability of the groundwater determined by the EC and the sodium hazard determines the groundwater to be safe.

Keywords

• Groundwater
• physicochemical
• BharaKahu
• hydrochemical facies.