Abstract:
The demand for groundwater continuously increases due to reckless consumption for irrigation, industries, and drinking purposes for which the surface water is insufficient. Peshawar District was chosen as a study area for this research. A total of 105 and 112 groundwater samples were randomly collected from tube wells throughout the study area in 2012 and 2019, respectively. For, patients' data related to waterborne diseases were collected for the same years to study groundwater quality's adverse consequences on human health. The groundwater samples were analyzed for seven standard water quality parameters (pH, Electric Conductivity (EC), Turbidity, Chloride, Calcium, Magnesium, and Nitrate). For the LULC dynamics and how they affect groundwater quality, Landsat satellite images were classified for the same years (2012 and 2019) and landcover maps were generated. Results show a decrease in the quality of groundwater in the year 2019 as compared to 2012. A similar increase in Nitrate concentration was found in agricultural areas' vicinity due to the excessive application of nitrogenous fertilizers and pesticides. The patient disease data revealed that due to the high concentration of nitrate in the groundwater, the methemoglobinemia patient increased from 48% to 62% over the 7 years. In addition, Urinary Tract Infections, Peptic Ulcer diseases, and Dental Caries diseases increased due to the high concentration of the calcium and magnesium in the groundwater. To validate these results a two Different contamination Models were used (DRASTIC and GOD). The comparison concludes that the Drastic model has more accuracy then GOD model. The overall study results indicate that anthropogenic activities were the main driver of spatial-temporal variability in groundwater quality. This study could help the district health decision-makers understand the groundwater quality trends, make appropriate site-specific actions, and formulate future health policies.
