Geochemical Studies of Groundwater in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh

The geochemical characteristics of groundwater in Saharanpur city of Uttar Pradesh have been studied with a set of fifty water samples representing shallow groundwater of the area. The samples were collected during January and April 2003 which represent a season not characterized by excessive precipitation or evaporation. The samples were analyzed for various water quality parameters such as pH, electric conductivity, total dissolved solids, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, sulphate and chloride. Five groundwater samples were analyzed for Sr isotopic composition. The water is mostly Ca-Mg-HCO₃ type and is derived from the carbonate lithology. A few rainwater samples were also analyzed. Chemical weathering process is the dominant factor in the overall water chemistry, however for some parameters like SO₄, industrial effluents and/Or atmospheric precipitation could be a major source. Dominance of carbonate lithology on water chemistry is also observed by the low Sr isotopic ratios (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) in waters. The high carbonate contents could lead to scale formation which is a major problem in the region for domestic and industrial uses of water.