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Abstract

The Maputaland coastal plain of KwaZulu-Natal is one of the popular tourist areas in South Africa. Groundwater is the major source for drinking and irrigation purposes which is abstracted from unconsolidated aquifers. Higher infiltration rate in the study area possibly increases the risk of aquifer contamination. In this study, 53 and 42 groundwater samples were collected from bore wells during 2018 and 2019 and were analyzed for major ions, minor ions, nutrients and trace metals. The potential groundwater zones of the Maputaland coastal plain of Kwazulu-Natal is identified by comparing analytic hierarchy process (AHP)—multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) technique and Boolean logical approach. Na–Cl water type was dominant in groundwater followed by Ca–HCO3. Cross plots revealed that ion exchange, reverse ion exchange, silicate weathering, seawater mixing and anthropogenic inputs from agricultural activities govern groundwater chemistry. In this study, it is discovered that 43% and 26% of groundwater samples pose a non-carcinogenic health risk in children and adults, respectively. The delineated groundwater potential maps using AHP-MCDM technique indicates that 6.0% (310.5 km2) from total area falls under very good; 67% (3467 km2) good; 25% (1294 km2) poor and 2% (103.5 km2) under very poor, whereas in Boolean logic about 70% of the area (i.e., 3623 km2) constitutes good and 30% (1552 km2) of the areas constitutes poor groundwater potential zone. Further, the obtained results indicate that the geology, geomorphology, land use and land cover and slope played a vital role in groundwater recharge.