Assessment of groundwater quality of different villages of Malpura block in Tonk district, Rajasthan

Abstract

Evaluating water quality stands as a crucial instrument for fostering sustainable development and furnishes vital insights for effective water management. When determining the suitability of water for irrigation, it becomes imperative to possess comprehensive knowledge pertaining to both the quantity and quality of the water resource. Therefore, a study was conducted in the Malpura block of Tonk district, Rajasthan, during 2021-2022 to assess the groundwater quality for irrigation. To ascertain groundwater quality, 60 water samples were collected from 6 different villages [Lawa (V1), Borkhandi (V2), Kadila (V3), Jankipura (V4), Diggi (V5), and Nukkad (V6)], and analyzed for various water quality parameters, including pH, EC, cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+), and anions (CO32-, HCO3,- Cl- SO42-). Irrigation water quality indices such as SAR, RSC, SSP, PI, and KR were also calculated for these samples. The pH, EC, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+ SAR, RSC, SSP, KR, and PI in groundwater ranged from 6.1 to 9.0, 0.16–4.8 dS m-1, 0.22- 8.5 meq L-1, 0.2 to 33.2 meq L-1, 0.55-23.65 meq L-1, 0.005-1.79 meq L-1, 0.18-18.25 m mol/L, 3- 40.37 meq L-1, 6.43- 91.79 meq L-1, 26.69- 124.54 meq L-1, and 2.09- 40.53%, respectively.