Effect of high sulfate concentration on the corrosivity: a case study from groundwater in Harran Plain, Turkey

Corrosion, which tends to increase the concentrations of certain metals in tap water, is one of the most important water quality problems as it can affect public health and public acceptance of water supply and the cost of providing safe water. In this context, this study aimed at investigating the scale formation tendency or corrosivity of groundwater in the semi-arid Harran Plain. The degree of scale formation tendency/corrosivity of water was determined considering pHs, Langelier Index, and Ryznar Index of groundwater samples. Except for well no.4, which is close to a local hot spring, all the wells had corrosive characteristics. The amount of CO₂ from the soil zone respiration and high sulfate concentration in the wells are important factors affecting corrosiveness. Results showed that precipitation, excessive irrigation, and change in groundwater level caused seasonal variation in corrosive characteristics.