ABSTRACT
Groundwater contamination assessment is a challenging task due to inherent complex dynamisms associated with the groundwater. DRASTIC is a very widely used rapid regional tool for the assessment of vulnerability of groundwater to contamination. DRASTIC has many lacunas in the form of subjectivities associated with weights and ratings of its hydro-geological parameters, and therefore the accuracy of the DRASTIC-based vulnerability map is questionable. This chapter assesses the effectiveness of the fundamental DRASTIC model for the groundwater vulnerability assessment in Fatehgarh Sahib district, and it also questions the reliability of resulting vulnerability map generated out of it. Based on this investigation, the inherent problems associated with the DRASTIC model are discussed as potential measures to improve the assessment of groundwater vulnerability. The study area for the experiment is Fatehgarh Sahib district of Punjab which is facing several groundwater issues. The quality of groundwater has been declining in the Fatehgarh Sahib district of Punjab, India, over the last decade due to the enormous increase in the number of tube wells for the agricultural activities.
