Current World Environment

Groundwater quality and availability in Haryana, India, is under more stress due to rapid urbanization, intensive agriculture and industrial activity. This work is the first attempt to give a comprehensive view of the spatiotemporal assessment of groundwater quality in 22 districts of the state focusing mainly on key physicochemical parameters and heavy metals (Cd, Pb, As, Cr). Based upon groundwater monitoring data of the period 2021 - 2024, elevated concentration of arsenic, lead, and cadmium were found in several districts including Sonipat, Panipat, Fatehabad, and Sirsa exceeding BIS and WHO permissible limits. Uranium contamination more than 0.03 mg/L was found all over, and nearly all the districts showed the contamination with the maximum values recorded from Chormar village of Sirsa district (0.26 mg/L). Depth to water level maps showed critical groundwater depletion in central, southern and southwest Haryana with northern districts like Ambala and Kurukshetra showing moderate to shallow levels. A comprehensive human health risk assessment was executed to assess the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks from heavy metals in ground water, and exposed critical levels of the ingestion pathways particularly for arsenic, lead, and cadmium were found to be critical in several districts of Haryana. According to the March 2022 groundwater assessment, 88 of 143 blocks are classified as over-exploited, mostly because of high tube well density and unsustainable withdrawal rate. The study adds to the scientific knowledge of groundwater quality dynamics by identifying statistically significant spatial patterns of metal exceedances and association with anthropogenic and geogenic influences. Findings raise awareness of the urgency of region-specific remediation methods and closer regulatory oversight, especially in over-exploited and industrial districts. The combination of heavy metal contamination and declining levels of groundwater clearly demonstrate the urgent need for integrated water resources management including artificial recharge, conjunctive use and pollution control strategies.

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