Exploring groundwater quality through key parameters and management tools for its conservation and recovery

Groundwater quality is crucial for public health and the environment, yet it faces significant challenges due to contamination from a variety of factors, including emerging contaminants and inappropriate management practices. The lack of comprehensive information on these aspects limits the ability to respond to the degradation of this vital resource. This study aims to explore groundwater quality through key parameters and management tools for its conservation and recovery. For this purpose, a systematic review of the literature was carried out using the PRISMA methodology, which provides guidelines for the analysis, review, discard and selection of the documents found, selecting relevant articles from databases such as SCOPUS. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were defined to ensure the quality of the studies analyzed. In addition, the PICO methodology was applied to develop research questions, which were answered with the information from the findings. Using the methodologies, 79 articles were selected between the years 2015–2024 for the systematic review. The most effective physical-chemical parameters for assessing groundwater quality include pH, electrical conductivity and nitrate concentration, which vary significantly between different regions due to geological factors and human activities. The most commonly used mathematical tools to assess groundwater quality include simulation models such as neural networks, multivariate analysis, and water quality index. The most effective management tools for groundwater conservation and recovery include the implementation of sustainable use policies, continuous monitoring systems, and community education programs that encourage active citizen participation in the protection of this resource.