Groundwater Quality Assessment using a Water Quality Index (WQI) in Nine Major Cities of Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

Water quality is considered as an important factor to detect the environmental changes which are associated with social and economic development [1]. The recent global crisis of surface water, population growth and rapid industrialization has ultimately resulted in relying on groundwater consumption. Hence groundwater becomes an indispensable source for the drinking, household doings, livestock needs, irrigation, industrial and many more commercial activities [2, 3]. The quality of groundwater depends upon its physical characteristics, the concentration of chemical constituents and the geology of the area. Different natural and anthropogenic activities tend to change the physicochemical characteristics of ground-water and deteriorate its quality [4, 5].