Geochemistry and quality parameters of dug and tube well water of Khipro, District Sanghar, Sindh, Pakistan

Thirty-nine (23 dug and 16 tube well) samples were geochemically evaluated and investigated to ascertain the quality of water in Khipro, Sindh. The analytical results exhibited abundance of major cations and anions in Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+ and Cl− > HCO3 − > SO4 2− sequence. Stiff diagram showed dug well sample have high Na–Cl and moderate Mg–SO4 content as compared to tube well samples. Majority of dug well samples appeared as Na–Cl type on Piper diagram while tube well samples are mixed type. Gibbs diagram reflected evaporation as a dominant phenomenon in dug well; however, tube well samples are declined toward rock dominance. Process of ion exchange was witnessed from Na+ versus Cl− and Ca2+ + Mg2+ versus HCO3 − + SO4 2− plots. Principal component analysis also discriminates dug well and tube well water by means of positive and negative loading based on physical and chemical composition of the groundwater. Studied and computed parameters like pH, EC, TDS, TH, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl−, SO4 2−, HCO3 −, sodium adsorption ratio, magnesium adsorption ratio, potential salinity, residual sodium carbonate, Na%, Kelly’s ratio, and permeability index were compared with WHO to evaluate studied water for drinking and agricultural purposes. Except Na+ and K+, all chemical constrains are within the allowed limits, set by WHO for drinking water. Similarly, most of the groundwater is moderately suitable for irrigation uses, with few exceptions.