Assessment of Impacts of Groundwater Salinity on Regional Groundwater Resources, Current and Future Situation in Mewat, Haryana – Possible Remedy and Resilience Building Measures (NIH-4_2016_5)

Abstract

Evaluation of groundwater quality parameters and their controlling processes are very important for the sustainable utilization of groundwater in any region. In the present study, more than 300 groundwater samples were collected during the years 2018 and 2019 from the tube wells and public water supply wells in the Mewat district, Haryana to investigate the water quality parameters to ascertain suitability for drinking purposes, and also to understand hydro geochemical processes by considering an integrated approach and salinity mechanisms. Different methods namely, conventional hydrogeochemical analysis, isotope analysis, ion ratio, etc. were applied. The results showed that the groundwater of Mewat is highly saline. Silicate weathering, evaporation, and cation exchange were the three factors controlling the geochemical composition of groundwater in Mewat district. As remediation and management solutions, Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) - a water management technique for storing excess freshwater during wet periods and recovering stored water during dry periods has been studied and recommended. The proposed method presents a viable option to harness the full potential of groundwater especially, in the saline groundwater zones of Mewat.