The Luan River catchment within the North China plain has been famous for the development of its iron mineral resources since the 1950s. At the same time, it is also the main grain-producing area, known as the granary of eastern Hebei Province. Groundwater plays an important role in this region, and thus, it is imperative for us to improve our understanding of the heavy metal groundwater contamination in this catchment. Therefore, a total of 144 groundwater samples were collected for chemical analysis from 16 operational private wells of local residents in the study area, over eight consecutive periods from December 2016 to May 2017. Each shallow groundwater sample was analyzed for 39 heavy metals including among others, As, B, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, V, and Zn. However, subsequent analyses only focused on three heavy metals (Cd, Cr, and Ni) that exceeded the Groundwater Quality Standard III. Spatial and temporal variations of Cd, Cr, and Ni in the shallow groundwater were analyzed. Cr was found to have the highest concentrations, followed by Ni and Cd. A human health risk assessment was conducted where carcinogenic risks and Hazard Quotients (HQs) were evaluated separately. The results indicate that both the carcinogenic risks and HQs of Ni and Cr are higher than the recommended standard value. Therefore, the prevention and control of heavy metal contamination in the Luan River catchment should focus on Ni and Cr.

Groundwater has been a major natural resource for human consumption in north China. It is necessary to appreciate the suitability of deep groundwater for drinking, agricultural irrigation, and industrial uses in this region. To this end, a total of 47 groundwater samples were collected from the study area; by comparing the concentrations of different hydrochemical variables with quality standard values, the variable fuzzy set (VFS) was applied to calculate the groundwater quality index (GQI) for various purposes, respectively. Afterward GQI spatial distribution maps were constructed using a geographic information system (GIS) tool to delineate spatial variations of groundwater quality. In this case study, the GQI spatial distribution maps reveal that the areas covered by “Maximum Permissible” groundwater for varying purposes (drinking, irrigation, and industrial) is 1377.2; 2354.7; and 3854.8 km², respectively. The groundwater in the eastern part of the study area is suitable for drinking, with the southwestern region as the irrigation water source; the entire study area is acceptable for use in industrial, except the western part of Jiaozuo City. Therefore, the GQI spatial distribution maps can provide useful information for non-technical decision makers for better sustainable groundwater resources management.