Hydrochemical Characterization and Suitability Assessment of Groundwater Quality in the Saboba and Chereponi Districts, Ghana

Abstract

Hydrochemical data of groundwater samples obtained from the mudstones, sandstones, and siltstones aquifer units that underlie the study area have been characterized. The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of groundwater for drinking, domestic, and agricultural purposes. The physico-chemical parameters were initially compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards for potable water. They were further subjected to various hydrochemical techniques to assess the overall water quality for drinking purposes. Conventional methods of assessing irrigation water suitability were also adopted. The results indicate that, with the exception of HCO3− characterized as unsuitable for drinking water, most of the parameters are within the WHO permissible limits and are thus characterized as suitable for drinking water. A few samples however show slight deviation. The results also show that the abundance of major cations in groundwater is in the order: Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+. However, the abundance of the major anions is in the order: HCO3− > Cl− > SO42−. Na-HCO3 is thus inferred as the dominant water type in the area. Analyses of the overall Water Quality Index (WQI) and irrigation water assessment indices suggest that groundwater in the area is generally suitable for drinking, domestic, and irrigation purposes.

Keywords

• hydrochemical parameters
• groundwater samples
• water quality
• WHO standards
• agricultural purposes