Scientific Society of Advanced Research and Social Change SSARSC International Journal of Geo Science and Geo Informatics Volume 2 Issue 1, April 2015, ISSN 2348-6198 www.ssarsc.org Page 1 Spatial Distribution Mapping and Assessment of Suitability of Groundwater Quality for Drinking Purpose in Hisar District of Haryana State, India Reeta Rani & B. S. Chaudhary Department of Geophysics Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra (Haryana), India reetakuk23@gmail.com , bschaudhary@kuk.ac.in Abstract - In present study, an attempt has been made to understand the spatial distribution pattern of suitability of groundwater quality for domestic use in Hisar district of Haryana state, India by using Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques. Groundwater quality data of year 2008 of Hisar district of Haryana state, India was analyzed for its suitability for drinking purposes. Groundwater samples from 87 borehole locations were used for analysis of different water quality parameters such as Hydrogen ion concentration (pH), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Electric Conductivity (EC), Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) and Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC) and then classified under various categories as per various national and international standards to determine the suitability of water for domestic use. Spatial distribution maps of pH, EC, TDS, RSC, and SAR were prepared in GIS environment. These maps were integrated using GIS for demarcating different groundwater quality zones for domestic usage. Out of the total area of 4174.52 km 2 , only 4.48 km 2 is under medium salinity whereas maximum area (3778.8 km 2 ) falls under very high and 391.2 km 2 under very-very high category. Overall the groundwater is not fit for domestic use almost in the entire district. Keywords - Groundwater quality, Hisar, Spatial Distribution, GIS, India I. INTRODUCTION Groundwater is a precious natural resource which is essential for life on planet Earth. Due to population growth combined with industrialization and urbanization, there is increasing pressure on this precious natural resource. Groundwater is a fundamental natural resource for the economical and secure provision of drinking water and plays a critical role in human well-being [6]. It is estimated that approximately one third of world’s population use groundwater for drinking. In addition to rural households and public water supplies that depend on wells and groundwater, farmers too use groundwater for irrigating crops and for their animals. Many commercial business and industries also depend on groundwater for their processes and operations. Other industries rely on clean groundwater for production of electric power, food, beverages and material production. Groundwater in India is a critical resource. The stage of ground water development for the country as a whole is 58%. The status of ground water development is comparatively high in the states of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan and UT of Daman & Diu and Pondicherry, where the Stage of Ground Water Development is more than 100%, which implies the average annual ground water consumption is more than average annual ground water recharge in these areas. In the states of Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh the average stage of ground water development is 70% and above. In rest of the states / UT's the stage of ground water development is below 70% (CGWB, 2010). Based on yield potential characteristics of aquifers, the Haryana state can be divided into three zones. The first one comprises of 26,090 sq.km in parts of Sirsa, Hissar, Bhiwani, Mahendergarh & Jind Districts, where tube wells can yield 50 m 3 / hr. The second one falls in parts of Hisar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Bhiwani and Gurgaon Districts, covering an area of 7100 sq.km tube wells in this zone, can yield between 50-150 m 3 /hr. The third one extends by 9200 sq.km in parts of Ambala, Kuruskshetra, Karnal and Sonepat Districts, where the yield varies between 150-200 m 3 /hr. An area of 1660 sq.km in parts of Gurgaon, Bhiwani and Mahendergarh Districts is underlain by consolidated formations, where the yield prospects of aquifers are limited. Ground water occurs in Hisar district under confined and semi confined aquifer conditions. The ground water conditions near surface are in unconfined conditions. Under unconfined conditions water is tapped through dug wells for domestic purposes. The semi confined and confined aquifer condition in the alluvial formations in which groundwater occurs under