To investigate the quality of domestic groundwater and assess its risk to inhabitants of the Guanzhong Basin, China, 191 groundwater samples were collected to analyze major ions, nitrate, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), and electrical conductivity (EC). The physiochemical parameters, hydrochemical facies, and sources of major ions were analyzed using Durov diagrams, bivariate diagrams, and chloro-alkaline indices (CAI-I and CAI-II). The suitability of groundwater for drinking, the nitrate distribution, and human health risk (HHR) for different age groups were evaluated. The results showed that the relative abundance of cations in the groundwater samples was K⁺+Na⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺, while that of anions was HCO₃⁻ > SO₄²⁻ > Cl⁻ > NO₃⁻. Groundwater samples mainly contained HCO₃-Na and HCO₃-Ca, which were introduced mainly by rock weathering and ion exchange. The groundwater in the Guanzhong Basin contained mainly good and medium water, and the groundwater in the southern part of the Wei River was better than that north of the Wei River. Areas containing high nitrate concentrations were mainly located in the central and western parts of the Guanzhong Basin. The percentages of low risk (100 mg/L) of nitrate pollution in the study area were 90.58%, 8.9%, and 0.52%, respectively. The HHR assessment results indicated that people in the 6–12 month age group were more likely to suffer from health complications due to a higher nitrate concentration, followed by 6–11 years, 21–65 years, 18–21 years, ≥65 years, 11–16 years, and 16–18 years age groups, which was mainly due to the different exposure parameters. The results of this study will be useful in regional groundwater management and protection.

Loess contains many sodium and chloride ions that can easily be leached when seepage occurs, thus affecting the mechanical properties of loess. This study investigated a series of sodium chloride solution concentrations to explore their influence on the permeability of remolded loess, as well as the underlying mechanism of such. The results indicated that the saturated hydraulic conductivity of remolded loess increases with time in response to different sodium chloride concentrations, and the sample was more permeable with increasing concentration. Moreover, the salt effect promoted the dissolution of calcite and dolomite, and the cation exchange stimulated the leaching of other cations, thus leading to further structural loosening. Furthermore, the aggregation of clay particles increased, thus forming a larger pore space among aggregates and providing effective channels for permeation. These findings provide a theoretical basis for an improved understanding of channel degradation in the loess area of Northwest China.