Abstract
A comprehensive chemical quality assessment of groundwater resources in the Talensi District has been conducted using conventional graphical methods and multivariate statistical techniques. The study sought to determine the main controls of groundwater chemistry and its suitability for domestic and irrigation purposes in the district. Silicate and carbonate mineral weathering were identified as the main controls on groundwater chemistry in the district, with reverse ion exchange also playing a role. High nitrate and lead levels observed have been associated with agrochemicals and wastewater from farms and homes. Three main flow regimes have been identified with Q-mode cluster analysis, in which mixed cation water types have been revealed, where areas designated as recharge zones are dominated by Na+ + K+–Mg2+–HCO3− fresh water types characterised by low mineralisation and pH, which evolve into Mg2+– Na+ + K+– HCO3− fresh water type with corresponding increased mineralisation of the groundwater. Based on the water quality index (WQI) technique modified for the district and an interpolation technique using ordinary kriging developed from a well-fitted exponential semivariogram for the estimated WQIs, the groundwater quality has been spatially classified as generally ‘good' to ‘excellent' for domestic purposes. Generally, the quality of groundwater for domestic usage deteriorates as one moves towards the north of the district, whereas waters in the east and west present the best quality. Classifications based on the United States Salinity Laboratory (USSL), Wilcox, and Doneen diagrams suggest that groundwater from the unconfined aquifers of the district is of excellent quality for irrigation purposes.
Highlights
An overview of rural and small-town water services reported by the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) [1] suggests that groundwater remains the most important source of fresh water supply for mainly domestic, agricultural, and industrial purposes in the semiarid climates of northern Ghana
Physical parameters such as pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDSs), and temperature were measured in situ using HI98129 Low Range pH/Conductivity/TDS Tester. e water samples were filtered through a 0.45 μm cellulose acetate membrane and collected in 250 ml sterilized lowdensity polyethylene bottles in two sets: a bottle containing nonacidified samples for major anions analysis and the other bottle containing samples for major cations and trace element analysis acidified with concentrated nitric acid (HNO3) to a pH less than two, to prevent precipitation of the metals, oxidation reactions, and absorption to container walls and to reduce microbial activity [41]
E values of temperature in groundwater of the study area range from 28.7°C to 34.4°C with a mean value of 31.6 °C, which fall within the ranges of natural water bodies (WHO) [20]
Summary
An overview of rural and small-town water services reported by the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) [1] suggests that groundwater remains the most important source of fresh water supply for mainly domestic, agricultural, and industrial purposes in the semiarid climates of northern Ghana. Eneke et al [14] adopted geostatistical and conventional hydrochemical techniques in an attempt to identify the main factors controlling groundwater chemistry in Douala, Cameroon, an area characterised by rapid urbanisation and industrialisation. E study revealed that groundwater in the area is acidic (pH between 4.1 and 6.9) and the groundwater quality was mainly controlled by anthropogenic activities. Dissolutions of soluble salts, oxidation reactions, and dissolutions of sulphate minerals were found to be the four main factors controlling the hydrochemistry of groundwater resources in the area.
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