Hydrogeochemical profiling and suitability evaluation of groundwater for industrial and municipal applications in the Southern Anambra Basin, Nigeria

Groundwater's hydrogeochemical properties play a crucial role in determining its suitability for industrial and municipal applications.This study assessed groundwater in the Southern Anambra Basin, Nigeria, by analyzing its physicochemical characteristics and applying hydrogeochemical and industrial water quality indices.A total of fifty-five (55) groundwater samples were systematically collected from boreholes across the study area.Samples were analyzed for key physicochemical parameters, including pH, EC, TDS, major cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺) and anions (HCO₃⁻, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻).Data were interpreted using Piper, Gibbs, and Gaillardet diagrams, along with saturation indices and chloro-alkaline indices, to identify hydrogeochemical facies and dominant processes.Industrial suitability was evaluated using the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI), Aggressive Index (AI), and Puckorius Index (PI).The study aimed to (1) characterize the hydrogeochemical facies of groundwater in the Southern Anambra Basin; (2) determine the dominant geochemical processes influencing groundwater chemistry; and (3) assess the suitability of groundwater for industrial and municipal systems based on its scaling and corrosive tendencies.The results reveal that groundwater is mainly of the Ca²⁺+Mg²⁺-HCO₃⁻ and Ca²⁺+Mg²⁺-SO₄²⁻-Cl⁻ facies, dominated by rockwater interactions.Saturation index values for minerals such as calcite, dolomite, and gypsum were