Groundwater Quality Assessment Using Water Quality Index Technique: A Case Study of Kirkuk Governorate, Iraq.

Abstract

The quality of groundwater is a global concern that is usually assessed using quality indices. The Canadian Water Quality Index (CWQI) alongside with Geographical Information system (GIS) were adopted to evaluate the quality of Kirkuk's groundwater in terms of its suitability for drinking, irrigation, aquatic, recreational purposes, and livestock uses, in 60 wells within the time period of 2017 to 2019. The groundwater quality was assessed depending on Iraq's and world health organization (WHO) guidelines. The Iraqi standards were used for drinking purposes. The WHO standards were used for irrigation, aquatic, recreational, and livestock purposes. Both standards were incorporated in CWQI Excel Spreadsheet to evaluate the groundwater quality for studied wells. Samples were collected and analyzed for 15 major parameters. According to the CWQI, groundwater samples obtained were classified as marginal in 2017 and 2018; while poor water for drinking was observed in 2019.