Groundwater Quality of Deeper Aquifers from Watersheds PGK1, PGK3 and PGK4, Yavatmal District (Maharashtra) in Central India

The groundwater quality from the watersheds PGK1, PGK3 and PGK4, Yavatmal District (Maharashtra), Central India, has been assessed and results are presented in the paper. Fifty samples collected from deeper aquifers have been analysed for various parameters like pH, EC, TDS, Ca⁺⁺, Mg⁺⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, HCO₃^-, CO₃^-2, Cl^-, SO₄^-2, and F^-. The interrelationship between F^- with pH, Na⁺, SO₄^-2, and Cl^- has resulted into positive correlation, while inverse relationship is noted for Ca⁺⁺ and HCO₃^-. In the area of study, the Fcontent ranges from 0.2 to 15.6 mg/L, and 64% of groundwater samples from deeper aquifer have Fconcentration more than 1.0 mg/L. The higher concentration of F^- in Neoproterozoic limestones has been ascribed to the presence of fluoride bearing minerals like fluorite and apatite. In such limestones of chemical origin, co-precipitation of CaF₂ and CaCO₃ is the major process which controls the fluorine distribution in the rocks. The leaching of F^- containing minerals from the weathered zone to deeper depth has contributed the high F^- concentration in basaltic aquifers. Amongst the analysed samples, 58% of groundwater is suitable for irrigation.