Evaluation Of Groundwater Vulnerability Research Articles

Integrated variable weight model and improved DRASTIC model for groundwater vulnerability assessment in a shallow porous aquifer

Accurate and effective assessment of groundwater vulnerability is very important for ensuring a healthy groundwater ecosystem. We evaluate the vulnerability of shallow porous aquifers by modifying the DRASTIC model and verify the effectiveness of the variable weight model (VWM). Firstly, topography, aquifer media, and the impact of the vadose zone are replaced by land-use type, aquifer thickness, and the hydraulic resistance of the vadose zone. Second, the weighting is optimized using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and variable weight theory (VWT). Thirdly, the original and the improved DRASTIC methods were used to evaluate groundwater vulnerability. Finally, three sets of samples hydrochemical parameters (NO3-, Mg2+,COD) were used to verify the improved frameworks using the Receiver Operating Curve (ROC) method. The improved model increases the dispersion degree of groundwater vulnerability. Compared with the original DRASTIC method, the correlation of the VWM is significantly improved in terms of the area under curve (AUC) for NO3- (0.786), COD (0.753), and Mg2+ (0.831). In short, it is necessary to optimize the parameters and weights of the model in order to realize reliable estimations of groundwater vulnerability. In particular, the use of VWM brings the results in line with the actual situation by changing the weights.

Groundwater Vulnerability Evaluation in the Nineveh Plain, Northern Iraq, using a GIS-based DRASTIC Model

The goal of this study is to determine the vulnerability of groundwater in northern Iraq's Nineveh Plain by utilizing the DRASTIC method and geographic information systems (GIS). In the context of human or environmental systems, vulnerability refers to the potential for harm as a result of stress or disturbance, it may be related to a particular system, hazard, or group of hazards. The vulnerability map includes three vulnerability categories: very low, low, and medium. Following the results of the spatial analysis, it can be concluded that the southern and northeastern portions of the study area have been the most vulnerable to contamination under the medium vulnerability group. According to statistics acquired by removing one DRASTIC element at a time and analyzing the effect on the calculated vulnerability index, the impact of the vadose zone is the most sensitive factor (the mean value is 3.00). The aquifer type, topography, and hydraulic conductivity all have the same mean value of 1.5. The soil factor has a mean value of 0.5, making it the least effective. The research recommends the necessity of using groundwater vulnerability maps in the process of planning future lands and the protection of the Nineveh Plain area from pollution.

Comparative study of machine learning models for evaluating groundwater vulnerability to nitrate contamination

The accurate evaluation of groundwater contamination vulnerability is essential for the management and prevention of groundwater contamination in the watershed. In this study, advanced multiple machine learning (ML) models of Radial Basis Neural Networks (RBNN), Support Vector Regression (SVR), and ensemble Random Forest Regression (RFR) were applied to determine the most accurate performance for the evaluation of groundwater contamination vulnerability. Eight vulnerability factors of DRASTIC-L were rated based on the modified DRASTIC model (MDM) and were used as input data. The adjusted vulnerability index (AVI) with nitrate values was used as output data for the modeling process. The performance of three models was verified using the statistical performance criteria of MAE, RMSE, r2, and ROC/AUC values. The ensemble RFR model showed the highest performance in comparison with standalone SVR and RBNN models. Specifically, ensemble RFR kept all promising solutions during the model performance due to its flexibility and robustness, and the vulnerability map obtained by the RFR model was more accurate for predicting the most vulnerable areas to contamination. It was concluded that ensemble RFR was a robust tool to enhance the evaluation of groundwater contamination vulnerability, and that it could contribute to environmental safety against groundwater contamination.

Integration of water contamination indicators and vulnerability indices on groundwater management in Menzel Habib area, south-eastern Tunisia

Groundwater salinization is a major problem throughout arid and semi-arid areas due to different natural processes and anthropogenic activities and has caused irreparable environmental and economic effects. The objective of this study is to evaluate groundwater vulnerability of Menzel Habib which has been firstly assessed using multiple methods such as DRASTIC, DRASTIC pesticide, SINTACS and SI models. These indices are based on combination of intrinsic and specific characteristics of the aquifer. Almost the area presents a low to moderate vulnerability with the highest vulnerability on the western region, associated to lower deep of groundwater and evaporation processes, with consequent salinity increase. Total Dissolved solids, chloride, sodium, sulfate, calcium, and magnesium water contents were determined in a total of twenty-five groundwater samples from Menzel Habib aquifer. The accuracy of the best robust model was evaluated by the correlation between the different vulnerability indices and contamination water indicators. The main aim of this study is the development of a modified vulnerability index, DRASTIC_Sal, which includes the contribution of total dissolved solids from Menzel Habib groundwater. DRASTIC_Sal index is a simple approach for aquifer salinization vulnerability assessment, particularly for inland aquifers from arid and semi-arid regions with associated agricultural activities.

Denitrification in Intrinsic and Specific Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment: A Review

Several groundwater vulnerability methodologies have been implemented throughout the years to face the increasing worldwide groundwater pollution, ranging from simple rating methodologies to complex numerical, statistical, and hybrid methods. Most of these methods have been used to evaluate groundwater vulnerability to nitrate, which is considered the major groundwater contaminant worldwide. Together with dilution, the degradation of nitrate via denitrification has been acknowledged as a process that can reduce reactive nitrogen mass loading rates in both deep and shallow aquifers. Thus, denitrification should be included in groundwater vulnerability studies and integrated into the various methodologies. This work reviewed the way in which denitrification has been considered within the vulnerability assessment methods and how it could increase the reliability of the overall results. Rating and statistical methods often disregard or indirectly incorporate denitrification, while numerical models make use of kinetic reactions that are able to quantify the spatial and temporal variations of denitrification rates. Nevertheless, the rating methods are still the most utilized, due to their linear structures, especially in watershed studies. More efforts should be paid in future studies to implement, calibrate, and validate user-friendly vulnerability assessment methods that are able to deal with denitrification capacity and rates at large spatial and temporal scales.

Evaluation of groundwater vulnerability to pollution using DRASTIC, composite DRASTIC, and nitrate vulnerability models

Background: Groundwater protection against pollution is a very important issue. Groundwater vulnerability maps are useful tools for protecting aquifers and assessing the potential for contamination. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to prepare vulnerability maps and perform sensitivity analysis to identify the most influential factors in the vulnerability of the studied aquifer. Methods: In this study, groundwater vulnerability to pollution was evaluated using DRASTIC, composite DRASTIC, and nitrate vulnerability (NV) models. Drastic is an index for the systematic assessment of potential groundwater pollution. In this method, the drastic index was calculated from the total weight and rank of the factors. For this purpose, first the factors affecting the pollution transfer, were weighted, ranked, and merged using GIS software. Then, using the overlapping techniques and after applying the necessary weight coefficients on each layer, a map of the vulnerability area of the study aquifer was prepared. Results: It was revealed that there is a significant linear relationship between all three models with the distribution of nitrate concentration. Accordingly, it was the most efficient NV model, followed by the composite DRASTIC (CD) and DRASTIC models, respectively. Also, in the studied aquifer, the DRASTIC index was between 147 and 136, the combined DRASTIC index was between 70 and 190, and the nitrate index was between 13 and 132. Conclusion: Vulnerability assessment of the studied aquifer using DRASTIC, and combined DRASTIC, and NV indices shows that, according to the DRASTIC index, 69.7% of the studied aquifer was in the medium vulnerability class. Also, according to the combined DRASTIC index, the largest area (53.62%) has low vulnerability and 31.56% has moderate vulnerability. But according to the nitrate index, 77.16% of the aquifers had very low vulnerability.

Assessment of groundwater vulnerability using genetic algorithm and random forest methods (case study: Miandoab plain, NW of Iran).

One of the appropriate ways to prevent groundwater contamination is identifying the vulnerable areas of the aquifers. The DRASTIC framework, for assessing the intrinsic vulnerability of the aquifer, is a common method which uses a specific parameter's weight and a uniform distributed contaminant in overall the aquifer. Therefore, it should be calibrated for specific aquifer and contaminant distribution conditions. In this research, random forest (RF) and genetic algorithm (GA) methods were used for DRASTIC framework optimization in Miandoab plain (NW of Iran). In optimizing the basic DRASTIC framework (BDF) using GA, decision variables are the weight of DRASTIC parameters and weight values for each data layer are the outputs of the optimization. The final optimized map (BDF-GA map) was obtained using overlaying the layers with optimized weights based on the GA method. In optimization of BDF using RF, the model is made up of from 1 to 100 trees and the m parameter or split variables was optimized by changing the number of variables between one and the maximum variables of each subset. Also, the feature selection method is used to reduce the dimensions and increase the accuracy of the model. To induct the nitrate contaminant model, raster layer data of 7 BDF parameters, together with the target variable (VI of BDF map), were used. In the final step, variables' importance was identified by the RF method and then, the vulnerability map was obtained based on variable importance. In validation and comparison of methods with CI and ROC methods, the BDF-RF method with the higher CI and ROC values was ranked as the most accurate approach in groundwater vulnerability evaluation. The optimized map using the RF method (BDF-RF map) showed that 14.5, 13, 18, 26.5, and 28% of the plain are located in areas with very low, low, moderate, high, and very high vulnerability categories, respectively.

Application of DRASTIC Entropy Weight Model Method in Groundwater Vulnerability Evaluation in Ordos Area

The northeastern part of the Ordos Basin is the main recharge area of regional groundwater, the groundwater resources are relatively scarce. The main water supply source in the area is shallow groundwater, and there are many industrial and mining enterprises in the district. The potential groundwater pollution risk is high, and the the shallow groundwater vulnerability evaluation in the region is of great significance for groundwater resources protection.The weight of each indicator of the traditional DRASTIC model is fixed and does not change with the regional conditions, which may cause deviations in the evaluation results. This time, based on the DRASTIC model, the entropy weight coefficient method is introduced to determine the index weight, and the DRASTIC entropy weight model is established to obtain a more scientific and close to the actual conditions of the study area, and provide an important reference and basis for the protection of regional groundwater resources.

Comparison of different groundwater vulnerability evaluation models of typical karst areas in north China: a case of Hebi City

Groundwater pollution is a serious problem in north China. However, the study on the vulnerability of karst groundwater is mainly in south China, and there are few studies in north China. To study the applicability of different models of karst areas in north China, this paper chose a special study area-Hebi City, where the exposed karst area is widely developed in the hilly area, but the covered karst area is in the eastern part of the study area. The DRASTIC model, the AHP-DRASTIC model, and the improved COPK model were adopted to evaluate the vulnerability of shallow karst groundwater in Hebi City. Cl-, SO42-, NO3-, and TDS were selected to verify the rationality of the evaluation results. It shows that the improved COPK model is more suitable for the shallow karst groundwater vulnerability evaluation in the karst areas in northern China represented by the study area than the other two. The study area was divided into 4 classes by the improved COPK model: highest (14.07%), high (53.05%), low (21.37%), and lowest (11.51%). Then, the analytic hierarchy process and comprehensive index model were used to evaluate the groundwater pollution load intensity, and the study area was divided into 3 classes: high (23.33%), moderate (64.66%), and low (12.01%). According to the analysis of the relationship between groundwater pollution load intensity and groundwater quality, it can be found that human activities have an obvious influence on groundwater quality in the study area. Finally, combined with human activities, the study area was divided into 3 remediation areas, 1 control area, and 1 protected area. This paper can provide a scientific basis for rational exploitation and utilization of groundwater resources. It can also provide a reference for future generations to evaluate the groundwater vulnerability in the northern China karst areas.

A New Model to Evaluate Groundwater Vulnerability that Uses a Hybrid AHP-GIS Approach

ABSTRACT Parameters like aquifer depth, aquifer replenishment rate, aquifer medium, soil medium, percolation medium, and the coefficient of permeability are considered during the preparation of a groundwater vulnerability diagram. The analytic hierarchy process is used for evaluation, and expert scoring is used to analyze and establish the judgment matrix, and then new weights have been computed for each DRASTIC parameter, such that some subjectivity can be reduced to some extent and the weight value tends to be reasonable. Various spatially referenced digital data layers are overlaid to analyse with the partition diagram in GIS spatial analysis and a comprehensive simple and straight diagram is drawn. The study area is a plain of Naiman Banner, Inner Mongolia China, and covers an area of approximately 10,700km2. The areas of lower vulnerability are mainly located in the south. Slightly higher vulnerability areas are mainly located in the north, and the others have medium vulnerability.

Evaluation of groundwater vulnerability to nitrate in shallow aquifer using multi-layer fuzzy inference system within GIS environment

Groundwater aquifer vulnerability to nitrate has become a major concern to all stakeholders involved in managing the quality of water in relation to human health. This paper presents fuzzy inference system (FIS) as an alternative to the conventional overlay index methods for the evaluation of groundwater vulnerability to nitrate pollution in watershed scale within GIS environment. A multilayer FIS model is developed taking advantage of expert knowledge-based DRASTIC system in order to overcome the problem of rule explosion. A case study relating to groundwater vulnerability assessment in shallow aquifer of Kathmandu basin in Nepalis accomplished. The correlations between groundwater vulnerability indices and nitrate-N concentration values were carried out for the validation of vulnerability models. The result shows that the best combination is obtained from fuzzy vulnerability model (r = 0.52) followed by DRASTIC method (r = 0.38). We have also developed a groundwater nitrate-N risk map by integrating groundwater aquifer vulnerability, the nitrate-N distribution map (pollution severity) and the probability of occurrence map based on the limiting threshold value of nitrate-N. Spatial distribution map of nitrate-N shows that nearly 10% of the study area lies within high hazard class which exceeds limiting value of 10 mg/L nitrate-N value, and nearly 50% of the shallow aquifer fall within medium hazard class which has impacted level of nitrate-N, i.e., between 2 mg/L and 10 mg/L. These results also indicate that the northern part of the Kathmandu basin and highly permeable alluvial deposits are dominated by very high vulnerability level, and are also under a threat of high nitrate-N risk. Groundwater aquifer vulnerability and nitrate risk maps are expected to facilitate design and development strategies towards protecting environment and preventing further deterioration of the affected aquifers.

Combining quantity and quality controls to determine groundwater vulnerability to depletion and deterioration throughout South Africa

Groundwater vulnerability is normally associated with the potential for contamination, for example the DRASTIC approach, but the increasing importance of groundwater in human, agricultural, and industrial systems, implies that groundwater vulnerability is dependent on a range of other parameters and particularly parameters impacted by climate change. A robust method for evaluating groundwater vulnerability therefore requires the incorporation of multiple indices into one holistic evaluation. In this study, a model for groundwater vulnerability in South Africa was developed, calculating the combined weighted averages of nine spatial datasets; namely: (1) mean annual precipitation, (2) mean annual surface temperature, (3) tritium distribution in groundwater, (4) potential evaporation, (5) aquifer type and yield, (6) terrain slope, (7) electrical conductivity, (8) population density and (9) cultivated land use. The model was run through 36 different weighting scenarios and indicates that on average 22.4% of South Africa’s groundwater is predicted to have a very high vulnerability to depletion in quantity and deterioration in quality (12.2% very low; 35.4% low; 16.8% moderate and 13.1% high). A single weighting scenario (M-I/C-2/P-2) was chosen that showed good alignment to the previous assessments that predicted that 20.9% of groundwater resources in South Africa have very high vulnerability (1.5% very low; 35.7% low; 24.9% moderate and 17.0% high). The model was adjusted to reflect climate conditions 50 years into the future, resulting in a 3% increase in very high vulnerability areas and a 6% decrease in low vulnerability areas. The results suggest that large areas of South Africa have high groundwater vulnerability, especially in areas where groundwater supplements domestic supply and agriculture. The implementation of this method to evaluate groundwater vulnerability across diverse natural environments and political boundaries will supplement comprehensive groundwater vulnerability assessments and the development of effective groundwater management policy.

Charakterystyka głównych geotypów obszarowych ocen podatności wód podziemnych na zanieczyszczenia

The characteristics of main area geotypes for the evaluation of groundwater vulnerability to pollution. A b s t r a c t. The article presents a proposal of the classification of hydrogeological and environmental conditions in relation to different intensities of the impact of factors affecting groundwater threat in assessments of groundwater vulnerability to pollution. Due to the complexity and high degree of transformation of the natural environment, including aquatic, types of areas subjected to ordinary and strong anthropopressure, the so-called Area Geotypes (GO), are distinguished and discussed. The main factors characterizing the impact of mining activity on the water environment (typical and specific) are discussed, and the mine’s characteristics are highlighted, emphasizing its role and importance as an influator constituting a large, multifactorial source threatening the groundwater environment. The role of the mine as an influator is presented against the background of the mine’s “life cycle”(development phases) along with an indication of the desirability of carrying out assessments of groundwater vulnerability to pollution and groundwater threat assessments. The need to develop legal regulations regarding the preparation of vulnerability assessments is indicated.

An evaluation of groundwater vulnerability to pollution in Ga-segonyana municipality area, Kuruman, Northern Cape in South Africa

Ground water is an important source of water to any economy. However, ground water can be vulnerable to a series of factors and activities both on and within the surface of the earth. This study explored the vulnerability of the groundwater to pollution in the Ga-Sengonyana municipality area of the Northern Cape Province. The study adopted an exploratory research design that includes both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The groundwater vulnerability assessment conducted using the DRASTIC index revealed a DRASTIC score of 140, implying that there is moderate to high vulnerability of aquifers in the Ga-Sengonyana district municipality. Both natural and anthropegenic factors contribute to ground water pollution in the study area. The unconsolidated material of sand, embedded dolomite and limestone that forms the vadose zone (unsaturated zone) and aquifer media contributed to high vulnerability of underground water to pollutants. The aquifer in the municipality area is highly vulnerable to both point and diffuse source of pollutants emanating from different land-use systems. It is therefore necessary for disaster management agencies and local municipality authorities to plan carefully on different land-uses and eliminate activities that provides the source of pollutants such as pit latrines and sewage leakages.

A simple method to evaluate groundwater vulnerability in urbanizing agricultural regions

A methodology to evaluate groundwater vulnerability was developed and tested in a case study in the Central Valleys of the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, a region known for intensive agricultural activities and poor water management policies. An analysis was conducted to create and evaluate scenarios reflecting anthropogenic and natural stressors on groundwater using an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and geographic information systems. Uncertainty in the vulnerability model was assessed using a Monte Carlo analysis. Five indices (abstraction (Abs), pollution (Po), runoff (Ru), groundwater recharge (Re), and marginalization (Ma)) were selected after an evaluation of the effects of population growth, climatology, hydrogeological features, and social marginalization on access to groundwater. Abstraction, pollution, and recharge rates are the main drivers of groundwater vulnerability, accounting for 87% of the vulnerability. The analysis revealed that the proposed model generates consistent results and contains low uncertainty. It also showed that more than 50% of the region's groundwater is moderately, and the vulnerability has become increasingly with abstraction, reduced recharge, and pollution (the most sensitive indices), indicating that groundwater in the Central Valleys is under great stress. Pollution and abstraction of groundwater resources are expected to rise in the more vulnerable areas, which will increase water crises and reduce access to water in rural communities. The approach and the indicators establish a baseline for the management and protection of water resources in developing countries where high-resolution data are lacking.

Spatial Analysis to Evaluate Groundwater Vulnerability to Contamination of Unconfined Aquifer in Semarang Lowland Area Using DRASTIC Method

The increasing population up to 1.67% per year in the urban coastal city such as Semarang affects enormous stress on the natural resources – groundwater, in particular. To assess groundwater vulnerability to contamination the DRASTIC method was applied. DRASTIC was one method in compiling a zone of groundwater vulnerability to contamination. This method required seven parameters, namely D (water table depth), R (recharge zone), A (media aquifer), S (soil media), T (topography), I (vadose zone), and C (hydraulic conductivity). Processing of each parameter to calculate the Drastic Index (DI) was developed by using spatial analysis in ArcGIS. The results conduct there is three-level of groundwater vulnerability to contamination namely low, medium, and high. The low vulnerability has the number of DI of 61 to 100, while the DI of moderate is around 101-140. The high level is represented by 141-180 of DI. The low level is distributed in some areas in the south of Semarang, while the medium is dominated in the Ngaliyan area, Gajahmungkur, Semarang Selatan, also found in Tugu, Semarang Barat, Candisari, and some areas in the Semarang Tengah. Indeed, the high level is found in the plains areas in the northern, in the western, and eastern part of Semarang.

Groundwater vulnerability to agrochemical contamination

This research aimed at evaluating groundwater vulnerability to agrochemical contamination. To that end, we developed an index called Hydric Vulnerability and Agrochemical Contamination Index (HVACI), which integrates a geographic information system and fuzzy logic to measure catchment vulnerability to agrochemical contamination. Our case study investigates two sub-basins, the Baixo Jaguaribe and the Médio Jaguaribe, in the state of Ceará, Brazil. We built a logical relationship matrix involving economic and environmental information as a tool to enhance public managers' decision-making capabilities. Evaluation was based on four categories of vulnerability — high, medium-high, medium-low, and low —, and we found that the joint area of the Baixo Jaguaribe and Médio Jaguaribe sub-basins presented the following levels of risk contamination: 80.3% of the area had low vulnerability, 3.5% had medium-low vulnerability, 3.0% had medium-high vulnerability, and 13.2% had high vulnerability. Geographically, the municipalities with high vulnerability to contamination by pesticides were Aracati, Icapuí, Limoeiro do Norte, Tabuleiro do Norte, and Quixeré. Therefore, HVACI is an important tool for directing environmental management efforts toward areas identified as highly vulnerable to agrochemical contamination.

Evaluation of the vulnerability of a leaky aquifer considering the retardation effect of an aquitard for specific pollutants: case study in the Tongzhou Plain, China

The effect of an aquitard above a leaky aquifer on retarding characteristic pollutants is very important for evaluating groundwater vulnerability. A case study is presented of the leaky aquifer in the Tongzhou Plain of China. On the basis of analyses of the environmental and hydrogeological characteristics of the study area, an indicator system to evaluate the leaky aquifer’s vulnerability was constructed, comprising eight indicators: the depth to groundwater (D), the net recharge (R), the impact of the vadose zone (I), the hydraulic conductivity of the phreatic aquifer (C), the pollution load (P), the phreatic water quality (Q), the ability of the aquitard to retard NH4+ (A), and the ability of the aquitard to retard NO3− (N). The retardation capacity of the aquitard for the characteristic pollutants in the study area (ammonia nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen) was obtained by numerical modelling with a HYDRUS simulator. The results show that the retarding effect of the aquitard on nitrogen pollutants and the hydraulic conductivity of the phreatic aquifer have significant effects on the vulnerability of leaky aquifers, and that other factors such as groundwater depth and pollutant load, have relatively limited effects. The research can provide a reference methodology for evaluating the vulnerability of porous leaky aquifers in alluvial plain areas.

Analisis Kerentanan Pencemaran Air Tanah di Kota Batu Menggunakan Analisis Multikriteria Spasial dengan Indeks DRASTIC

Groundwater and surface water are important sources of clean water which require an effective management. The use of groundwater and spring as exemplified by Batu City case – as part of Brantas watershed upstream – serves as raw water as well as clean water source for Batu City and Malang City population. Contamination of surface water and groundwater affects clean water supply as indicated by increasing nitrate, TDS, and E. Coli concentration. The study aims to analyze the vulnerability level of groundwater contamination by using spatial multicriteria analysis with DRASTIC index. The DRASTIC index is measured from some parameters such as surface water depth to water table, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of vadose zone, and hydraulic conductivity to evaluate groundwater vulnerability. The results show that Batu City performs low vulnerability (86.93%) and medium vulnerability (13.07%) levels. The dominant factors affecting the level of vulnerability are groundwater levels, slope, and geological conditions across regions. Even though the DRASTIC modelling cannot specify the contamination levels of the different sources, this method is useful to identifying high-level contaminated land uses, managing water resources, and conserving groundwater sources.

Evaluation of Groundwater Vulnerability to Contamination in Coimbatore District

Groundwater usage in the world is widely reported to increase because of the uncertainties attached with the availability of surface water. Groundwater resources are looked upon as the alternate source of freshwater on account of its widespread and continuous availability in proximity to the point of use or living place, less vulnerability to contamination and low cost of extraction in both urban and rural area of developed and developing countries of the world. Such a scenario has led to the degradation and depletion of groundwater resources in many parts of the world. The study area, Coimbatore district, is a rapidly urbanizing and industrializing city in the southern part of India which relies upon the groundwater resources for meeting the agricultural, industrial and domestic requirements. In view of this evaluation of groundwater resources and an understanding of the vulnerability of the aquifer to contamination become essential for the effective management of groundwater resources. The vulnerability of the groundwater to contamination is assessed using DRASTIC and Pesticide DRASTIC index in the GIS environment. The study showed that the high vulnerability areas are characterized by shallow water table of less than 4 m, gentle topography, sandy loam soils, thinner vadose zone and underlying geologic formations with well-developed fissures and fractures.