Hydro geochemical Analysis of Groundwater in Nedumkandam Block, Kerala: Assessing Potability and Agricultural Viability
This study provides a detailed look at the hydro-geochemical makeup in the groundwater of Nedumkandam Block of Kerala, India. This area is well-known for its geographical features & depends a lot on groundwater for drinking, home use and farming purposes. The aim here is to check out the quality, potability and availability of groundwater and whether it's safe for domestic use, considering the tough challenges from the underlying crystalline rocks. An efficient path was applied to gather related literature, including government reports & case studies. This research assesses how sustainable groundwater is for human consumption and agricultural use, by using systematic sampling & looking at various physicochemical factors. The study was conducted by collecting & analyzing water samples from 39 observatory wells from multiple parts of the region. Analysis was done using instruments such as an atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) and the volumetric analysis was done to analyse the concentrations of cations and anions. Total Dissolved Solid (TDS), Electrical Conductivity (EC) and pH values were analyzed to check the potability of the groundwater. Irrigation water parameters such as Permeability Index (PI), Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC), values etc. were calculated. ArcGIS was used to prepare maps of different chemical and physical properties. Software such as Grapher, AqQA, and AquaChem were used to make graphs. These helped to identify trends, gaps & key threats in groundwater management. The report highlights the serious impact of anthropogenic activities leading to low pH levels depleting the groundwater quality. Decisive findings indicate that while groundwater remains a demanding resource for the local community, there are also concerns such as lead contamination and declining water levels. The study concludes with a proposal for sustainable groundwater management practices, accelerating the need for integrated approaches that acknowledge both environmental and socio-economic factors to safeguard the long-term availability of groundwater resources in the region. This knowledge provides valuable insight for policymakers & stakeholders. So that they can develop strategies to safeguard groundwater resources in Nedumkandam.