Characterization of shallow groundwater chemistry in the Yogyakarta basin, Central Java

Abstract

Sufficient water supply can still be a big challenge in developing countries. A large number of households in Yogyakarta still relay on private dug wells to meet their daily demand. But water from shallow aquifers is prone to pollution from sewage systems, industry and agriculture. To assess the water quality in the basin of Yogyakarta, this study determines the chemical characteristics of the shallow groundwater in anthropogenically influenced and uninfluenced areas in and around the city of Yogyakarta. Therefore, a combination of on-site and laboratory analysis is used to distinguish areas of different water types. The observations give a major ion distribution for the whole research area and show significant anomalies in nitrate and phosphate concentrations especially in the city. Furthermore, high DOC values point out that the aquifer is widely polluted. There is a need for a better groundwater protection and remediation strategy to facilitate future use of those groundwaters.