Hydrogeochemical Studies to Assess the Suitability of Groundwater for Drinking and Irrigation Purposes: The Upper East Region of Ghana Case Study

Groundwater is increasingly being used to help meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2 and 6 in many parts of world, including Ghana. Against this background, hydrogeochemical multivariate statistical studies were conducted determine physicochemical characteristics suitability groundwater some agrarian communities Upper East Region Ghana for drinking irrigational farming. Additional analyses also performed identify potential health risks associated with use better understand processes controlling evolution its effective management. The results showed that typically fresh; moderate very hard character; undersaturated calcite, dolomite, halite, gypsum; supersaturated quartz amorphous silica. are controlled by both anthropogenic natural activities/processes, such as fertilizer application, irrigation return flows, rock weathering, forward/reverse cation exchange. total dissolved solids (TDS) (165–524 mg/L), electrical conductivity (EC) (275–873 ?S/cm), sodium percentage (Na%; 9.05–17.74%), magnesium ratios (MR) (29.25–53.3%), permeability index (PI) (36.6–74.6%), adsorption ratio (SAR) (0.20–0.51) point possibility using irrigation, however, salinity control. water quality risk analysis revealed can be drinking; high concentrations fluoride, which cause noncarcinogenic issues dental skeletal fluorosis adults children, must reduced WHO required level 1.5 mg/L.