Groundwater Hydrochemistry in Central Kerala: Implications for Aquifer Infrastructure and Environmental Water Management

The hydrochemistry of groundwater varies significantly across different locations in Central Kerala, where sedimentary groundwater aquifers are predominant. Factors such as rock weathering during contact and anthropogenic activities have a significant impact on groundwater chemistry. Hydrochemical analysis is an essential tool for identifying water types, chemical composition, and suitability for specific purposes, which is a critical requirement for water use licensing applications. This study analyzes the hydrochemical data of groundwater from 70 open wells near the Thrissur Ponnani Kol in Central Kerala using integrated statistical,Piper trilinear diagram, and spatial interpolation methods. The results reveal that Ca+ and Cl- are the most abundant cations and anions in the groundwater, with mean concentrations of 267.39 mg/l and 574.81 mg/l, respectively. water chemistry and spatial interpolation analysis for major cations (Na+) and major anions(Cl-), Sodium Adsorption Ratio, Electrical Conductivity, and Water Quality Index were performed using the inverse distance weighting method. The hydrochemical data were analyzed to classify the groundwater for domestic use (drinking) and agriculture (irrigation) purposes based on the recommended guidelines of the WHO and BIS. The study area is characterized by high salinity of three water types: Ca- Cl reverse ion-exchange water, Mixed Type of water, and Mg-HCO3 base ion-exchange water. Approximately 70-80% of the open wells in Central Kerala meet the requirements for irrigation application.