Groundwater Across Warangal District Often Unfit for Drinking, Study Finds

Groundwater in Warangal District, a semi-arid hard-rock region of Telangana, India, is largely poor to unsuitable for drinking, according to an integrated assessment of 58 well-water samples collected during the pre-monsoon season. The study, which combined hydrochemical analysis, geochemical modelling, multivariate statistics and GIS-based spatial mapping, found that most samples remained suitable for irrigation despite localized salinity and sodium hazards.

The samples showed wide hydrochemical variability. Measured pH ranged from 6.52 to 8.95, electrical conductivity from 0.26 to 3.29 dS per metre, and total dissolved solids from 166.4 to 2105.6 milligrams per litre. The dominant water type was the sodium bicarbonate facies, a signature the researchers attribute mainly to rock–water interaction, silicate weathering and ion exchange within the crystalline aquifer.

The team applied the Water Quality Index, which placed most samples in the poor-to-unsuitable category for drinking purposes. Irrigation suitability indices told a more favourable story: the majority of samples remained acceptable for agricultural use, although localized zones showed elevated salinity and sodium levels that could pose risks to soils and crops over time.

Several complementary techniques were used to identify what controls water chemistry. Piper and Gibbs diagrams classified hydrochemical facies and dominant evolutionary mechanisms, while ionic ratio analysis helped distinguish geogenic processes from human influences. PHREEQC saturation index modelling assessed which minerals the waters are dissolving or precipitating. Multivariate statistics, including Pearson correlation, Principal Component Analysis, Factor Analysis and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, grouped samples and parameters to reveal shared underlying drivers.

Together, these methods pointed to mineral weathering, ion exchange and localized agricultural activity as the principal controls on groundwater evolution. This combination allowed the authors to separate natural, geogenic influences from anthropogenic ones, a distinction that matters for deciding where management interventions are likely to be effective.

Geospatial techniques added a spatial dimension: GIS-based interpolation mapped quality patterns across the district, identifying hotspots where poor drinking-water quality concentrates. Such maps can guide monitoring priorities and help target irrigation management to the areas where salinity and sodium hazards actually occur, rather than applying uniform measures district-wide.

The authors frame the study’s novelty as its unified framework, integrating hydrochemical characterization, statistical analysis, geochemical modelling and geospatial assessment, which had been lacking for the crystalline aquifers of southern India. They argue the approach provides a scientific basis for groundwater monitoring, irrigation management and sustainable water-resource planning in semi-arid hard-rock regions.

As with any single-season sampling campaign, the findings represent pre-monsoon conditions in one district, and the observed quality patterns reflect the interplay of natural aquifer processes and local land use rather than a permanent verdict on the resource.

Subject of Research: Groundwater quality evaluation using water quality index and geospatial techniques in semi-arid regions of Telangana, India

Article Title: Groundwater quality evaluation using water quality index and geospatial techniques in semi-arid regions of Telangana, India

Article References: Chandragiri, R., Pandit, V. B., & Reddy, R. U. (2026). Groundwater quality evaluation using water quality index and geospatial techniques in semi-arid regions of Telangana, India. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 14, Article 1882612. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1882612

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.3389/fenvs.2026.1882612

Keywords: Groundwater, quality, evaluation, water, index, geospatial, techniques, semi-arid, regions, Telangana, India, scientific research