Application of water quality index to assessment of groundwater quality

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to: assess groundwater quality in rural areas of Zabid, Hodeidah, for drinking purpose using water quality index (WQI). Forty groundwater samples were collected from the study area. The water quality index (WQI) is a mathematical method used to facilitate water quality explanation. The WQI calculations required several physiochemical water parameters, including pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Hardness (TH), Cl-, SO42-, HCO3-, NO3-, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+ and K+. The values of WQI indicated that 75% of groundwater in the study area was good for drinking (class II), 25% Poor water (class III), and the WQIs ranged from 76 and 98; 101 and 126, respectively. It can be said, from this assessment, that groundwater in the study area was generally in Good-Poor water quality status. The reasons for the high WQI values of some study areas were due to the anthropogenic activities, as well as domestic and agricultural wastes.