Assessing causes of quality deterioration of groundwater in Puttalam, Sri Lanka, using isotope and hydrochemical tools^†

<p>Extensive extraction of groundwater has resulted in deterioration of the groundwater quality in the Puttalam area in the northwestern coastal zone of Sri Lanka. This situation led us to carry out the present comprehensive study based on environmental isotopic (¹⁸O, ²H, ³H) and geochemical evaluation to understand the root cause for water quality deterioration. The isotopic data suggest that the surface water and shallow groundwaters are subjected to intensive evaporation and, as a result, increase in their salinity. Deep groundwater of the area is mostly recharged by direct infiltration of rainwater and at few places by nearby surface water bodies. The salinity increase of deep groundwater depends on the specific hydrogeological zones and would be due to dissolution of salts which are precipitated in soil through the seawater spray over the time, dissolution of minerals in geological matrix and leaching of salts from salterns. The quality of the deep groundwater is relatively good in the granitic gneiss zone and nearby areas outside the sedimentary aquifer. There is no evidence from isotope and hydrogeochemical evaluation for seawater intrusion into groundwater in the Puttalam area.