Groundwater quality assessment for drinking and irrigation purposes in El-Salhia Plain East Nile Delta Egypt

Abstract-Thirty groundwater samples were collected from wells tapping the Quaternary aquifer in El-Salhia plain, East Nile Delta, Egypt. Assessment of the suitability of groundwater for drinking purposes was made by applying water quality index (WQI), which was based on important physico-chemical and environmental parameters. It is indicated that 70% of the analyzed groundwater samples fall in the good class. These samples were located in the upper and the lower portions of El-Salhia plain. The remainder (30%), which situated in the middle of the plain, was poor class. Also, addition calculated parameters were used for irrigation suitability assessment. Accordingly, most of the samples belong to high salinity and low SAR and very high salinity and medium SAR classes. Such waters are mostly unsuitable for irrigation under a normal condition and require special type of irrigation methods. These samples are recommended for irrigation with respect to NO3-, PO43-, RSC, MH and trace elements, while most of them are not recommended according to the acceptable limits for Na%, SAR, excess Cl- and TH. Poor irrigation water can be managed by improving irrigation management technologies and using salt tolerance plants. Keywords-Groundwater quality, Drinking, Irrigation, Trace elements, El-Salhia plain, East Nile Delta, Egypt.