TITLE:
Comparative Examination of the DRASTIC and Susceptibility Index Approaches for Assessing Aquifer Vulnerability in Porous Media
AUTHORS:
Cheikh Tidiane Wade, Bernadin Elegbede Manou, Mohamed Moukorab Arêmou Daouda, Tchantipe N’Tcha, Khardiatou Sadio, Fatou Diop Ngom
KEYWORDS:
Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment, Quality, Pollution, Drastic, SI
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.13 No.8,
August
25,
2025
ABSTRACT: Groundwater is becoming increasingly vulnerable to quality degradation. Several methods for assessing the vulnerability of groundwater to anthropogenic pollution have been developed over the last decade. To prevent groundwater pollution, political decision-makers and researchers frequently use these methods to identify vulnerable areas. This article presents two important methods for assessing the vulnerability of aquifers for resource protection (DRASTIC and the Susceptibility Index (SI)). As previous studies have indicated the difficulty of formulating a single technique for assessing groundwater vulnerability, different methods and techniques have been proposed. This article presents two methods, DRASTIC and the Susceptibility Index (SI), which we will examine in detail, focusing on their advantages and limitations. In this context, we introduce the importance of groundwater before discussing the concept of aquifer vulnerability. This is followed by a more detailed examination of the two methods, focusing on their advantages and limitations. Finally, the study provides an objective comparison of the two methods for assessing aquifer vulnerability.