Groundwater quality assessment for drinking and irrigation purposes in the Hangu District, Pakistan

The current study examined the groundwater quality of different water sources for drinking and irrigation purposes in Hangu District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Groundwater samples (n = 71) were collected from various sources, including spring, bore well, dug well, and tube well, and analyzed for physicochemical parameters. Results showed that most of the physicochemical parameters were found within the world health organization (WHO) guidelines set for drinking water, except turbidity, magnesium (Mg+2), sodium (Na+), fluoride (F-), chloride (Cl-), nitrate (NO3), and sulfate (SO42-). The drinking water quality index (WQI) was evaluated and categorized as good to poor. Irrigation indices such as sodium hazards, including sodium percentage (Na+%) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) were calculated. According to SAR and Wilcox diagrams, the water was suitable for irrigation, except for 5% of sampling sites. Piper's and Gibb's plot models described that water quality mainly exhibited calcium-bicarbonate (Ca-HCO3) types and showed rock weathering dominance, respectively. According to statistical assessments, geogenic causes of rock weathering are the most crucial source of regulating the water quality in the area.