Hydrogeochemical variability and appraisal of water quality of groundwater in Mahoba district, Uttar Pradesh, India

Mahoba district comes under the state of Uttar Pradesh (U.P.), India which is a part of mighty Bundelkhand Granitic Terrain known for its water debt condition. The region is hard rock terrain having recent alluvium cover of variable thickness relating to slope and level of erosion. Secondary porosity i.e. in the fractures and cracks present hosts the groundwater in the study area. The high-water scarcity and poor drinking quality led us to carry out our research work in the study area. The water facies analysed shows Ca–Mg–HCO₃ and Na–HCO₃ water types which indicated their compositional source from rock and anthropogenic inputs. Majority of the samples showed the dominance of alkaline earths over alkalies and weak acids over stronger counterparts. The correlation coefficients calculated between hydrochemical parameters projects a strong positive correlation of EC and TDS with most of the major ions, including SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻. The hierarchical cluster analysis of all samples was classified into five clusters (C₁A, C₁B, C₂A, C₂B₁ and C₂B₂). The sites of cluster C₁ water samples were found located closer to drainage streams than C₂ cluster water samples. The excessive fertilizers, unplanned municipal wastes and agricultural wastes resulted in high SO₄²⁻ and NO₃⁻. High F⁻ showed concentration in various samples may have geogenic sources due to flour-apatite in granitic terrain and Fe found in excess gives an unpleasant taste on drinking. The analysed irrigation parameters (%Na, MR, TDS, RSC, SAR, TH, and KI) revealed perfect under permissible quality. Various negative human health issues like indigestion, bone problems, alimentary canal problems have been seen due to excess of SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻ and F⁻). The study reflects the need for immediate preventive measures to improve drinking quality from health alarming ion concentrations and also would help for further management programs.