Features of Ecological and Hydrogeochemical Studies of Spring Water Quality

Abstract

The purpose is to assess the ecological condition of water of underground sources located in urban and rural areas, based on the results of analysing the chemical composition of water on the example of Sevastopol Region Materials and Methods. From March to June 2023, 30 groundwater sources (15 sources located within the city limits and 15 sources located in rural areas) of the Sevastopol region were surveyed. Hydrochemical assessment of water sample quality was carried out for the main quality indicators using physico-chemical methods of analysis. Results and Discussion. According to the developed series of criteria for ranking spring water quality, all the studied springs are divided into three groups: "polluted", "conditionally clean", "clean". The results of chemical analysis showed that the majority of the studied springs (77 %) belong to the "polluted" group – the concentration of some determined components in samples exceeds the established maximum permissible concentrations (MPC) by more than 2 times. A comparative assessment of water quality of groundwater sources located within the city and in rural areas has been carried out. Conclusions. Informing the population about the quality of spring water from popular underground sources will minimise the risk of diseases associated with the use of poor quality water for drinking purposes, and will help to draw public attention to the problem of water pollution and the preservation of springs.