Shallow Groundwater Quality and Its Controlling Factors in the Su-Xi-Chang Region, Eastern China

Understanding factors influencing groundwater quality is critical to the development of best management practices at the large watershed scale. In this study, the shallow groundwater (10–20 m depth) in the Su-Xi-Chang region, eastern China, was investigated as part of a monitoring program from 2007 to 2008 to analyze the regional groundwater quality as well as the hydrogeochemical processes and their controlling factors. Conventional physicochemical water parameters (pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorus), major cations (Na(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+) and NH(4)(+)) and anions (Cl(−), NO(3)(−) and SO(4)(2−)) were measured. Hydrochemical methods and multivariate statistical methods were applied to analyze the hydrogeochemical signatures, origins, the similarities among the variables and to identify the main pollution sources in the groundwater. The results showed that (1) the concentrations of TDS (224.89–1086.70 mg/L) and turbidity (0.1–18.60 NTU) were higher than the class II groundwater quality standards in China and the WHO drinking water standards, (2) there were extremely high concentrations of ammonia (0.01–32.90 mg/L), with a mean value of 0.72 mg/L and (3) the nitrate concentrations (average value of 22.07 mg/L) exceeded the class III groundwater quality standards. The study also provided evidence that weathering, dissolution of carbonate, halite and silicate and cation exchange were the possible primary hydrogeochemical control mechanisms in the groundwater. The sources of ammonia, total phosphorus, sulfates and nitrates included rock–water interactions and anthropogenic activities. The groundwater administration of pollution sinks and sources, long-term legal frameworks and economic incentives should be improved to optimize watershed scale management in the context of rapid development in China.