Abstract: In many parts of the world, groundwater is the best and most practical supply of fresh water for drinking, as well as for agricultural and industrial uses. Depending on the intended usage, water quality varies. Environmental quality management has long placed a premium on the assessment of groundwater quality. Since groundwater is the sole significant supply for residential consumption and irrigation, the study sites in Talaja Taluka in the Bhavnagar district are very important and require careful consideration. The goal of the current study is to evaluate the groundwater's appropriateness for drinking in relation to the village of Talaja in the district of Bhavnagar.

In the current study, various seasonal groundwater quality data were gathered from various organisations, such as GWRDC, for several consecutive years (pre-monsoon and post-monsoon 2001to2022). The respective physicochemical characteristics were observed for eight parameters; in particular pH, Calcium, Chloride, Fluoride, Total hardness, Magnesium, Nitrate, and Total dissolve solids. With the help of the Bureau of Indian norms' (BIS) established norms, suitability for drinking is assessed. Water Quality Index is created using the Weighted Arithmetic Index approach. The collected groundwater quality data from 21 wells were used to calculate the Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC), and Electrical Conductivity (EC), which are all categorised by salinity and alkalinity according to the standards recommended by the Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI) of India for irrigation purposes. For various stages of this work, Q GIS is utilised to generate themed maps. Maps that can be utilised to better comprehend the current water quality situation in the research region will be used to present the findings of the water quality analysis work

Keywords: Groundwater, Water quality index, Irrigation water, QGIS.

| DOI: 10.17148/IARJSET.2023.10558