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Groundwater quality in Patna District

However, natural and anthropogenic activities, such Research Development Department, evolved from the
as climatic and topographical factors, soil erosion, framework established by the NSF-WQI. Further
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land-use changes, sewage disposal, mining, fertilizers, advancements in this lineage include derivatives such
etc., pose a threatening effect on groundwater quality, as the Bascaron Index (1979), House Index (1986),
impacting its use for domestic, industrial, and and Dalmatian Index. Steinhart et al. introduced
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agricultural purposes worldwide. 7-11 Unfortunately, the Environmental Quality Index for the assessment of
these challenges are aggravated by the increasing Great Lakes ecosystems. Notably, the British Columbia
demand for groundwater due to population growth and WQI emerged in the mid-90s under the auspices of the
urbanization. 12,13 Moreover, waterborne diseases, linked British Columbia Ministry for Environment, Lands,
to poor water quality, pose significant health risks. 14 and Parks. This model laid the groundwork for the
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Groundwater in Patna district, Bihar, is abundant Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment
but faces significant quality concerns. In Patna district, (CCME) WQI, developed in 2001 by the CCME. 33,34 In
groundwater serves as the main source of drinking addition, various other models such as the Liou Index,
water. In rural areas, it is typically consumed with little Malaysian Index, and Almeida Index have emerged
to no treatment. Urban areas lack centralized treatment in recent years. Globally, over 35 WQI models have
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facilities such as municipal treatment units. Households been established by different countries and agencies for
generally depend on individual water purification the assessment of water quality. 26,29,35-37 Groundwater
methods. Studies have reported contamination exceeding quality in India is highly variable due to industrial
permissible limits for parameters such as total dissolved pollution, agricultural runoff, and natural factors.
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solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), total alkalinity (TA), CCME WQI efficiently integrates multiple parameters
Fe²⁺, As, and F⁻ renders the groundwater unsuitable for to reflect the overall condition, making it highly suitable
drinking in several locations. 15-18 High concentrations for groundwater assessments in the Patna district.
of arsenic and fluoride pose severe health risks, while GIS, or Geographic Information Systems, is a
nitrate contamination from sewage affects multiple powerful technology used to capture, manage, analyze,
districts, including Patna. 19,20 In addition, high levels of and visualize spatial data. 13,39 It integrates various
iron and alkalinity have been observed in groundwater types of information such as maps, satellite imagery,
samples, further deteriorating water quality. 21,22 Reports and statistical data, allowing users to understand
indicated that certain areas experience seasonal relationships, patterns, and trends in geographic space.
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variations in contamination, worsening water security GIS finds applications in fields ranging from urban
concerns. 23,24 These findings highlight the urgent need planning and environmental management to health care
for groundwater quality monitoring, pollution control and disaster response, providing valuable insights for
measures, and sustainable water management strategies decision-making and problem-solving. 10,13,39,41-44
in the region. Rapid population growth and urban development in
The water quality index (WQI) is a widely used tool Patna, Bihar, have led to increased water demand due to
to evaluate water quality by consolidating complex agricultural and industrial expansion. This has resulted
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data into a single index. It simplifies the analysis by in overexploitation, reduced precipitation, and declining
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synthesizing and normalizing parameters, providing water tables, particularly in densely populated urban
a comprehensive evaluation of overall water quality areas. To address these challenges, this study focuses
status. Various models are employed globally, each on assessing groundwater quality in Patna district using
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featuring variations in the structure, parameters, the CCME WQI method. The objectives include data
weighting, and methods of aggregation. 25,26 WQI helps collection from central and state agencies, evaluating
interpret water quality status effectively by highlighting WQIs using the CCME method, and visualizing spatial
significant parameters and guiding multipurpose water distribution maps of WQIs using Quantum GIS (QGIS)
resource use. 26 software.
The initial WQI model was developed by Horton
in the 1960s, concentrating on 10 crucial water quality 2. Materials and methods
parameters. Subsequently, Brown expanded Horton’s
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model with the NSF-WQI, integrating insights from 2.1. Study area: Patna district
142 water quality experts to refine parameter selection Patna district in Bihar, India, was selected for
and weighting. 28-30 Later iterations of WQI models, groundwater quality assessment based on literature and
such as the SRDD-WQI developed by the Scottish various sources. A base map (Figure 1) was prepared to

Volume 22 Issue 1 (2025) 135 doi: 10.36922/ajwep.8142