Modification of the Water Quality Index (WQI)

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Modification of the Water Quality Index (WQI) water Review Modification of the Water Quality Index (WQI) Process for Simple Calculation Using the Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) Method: A Review Naseem Akhtar 1 , Muhammad Izzuddin Syakir Ishak 1,2,*, Mardiana Idayu Ahmad 1 , Khalid Umar 3 , Mohamad Shaiful Md Yusuff 1, Mohd Talha Anees 4, Abdul Qadir 5 and Yazan Khalaf Ali Almanasir 1 1 School of Industrial Technology, Division of Environmental Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia; [email protected] (N.A.); [email protected] (M.I.A.); [email protected] (M.S.M.Y.); [email protected] (Y.K.A.A.) 2 Centre for Global Sustainability Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia 3 School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia; [email protected] 4 Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Petaling Jaya 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; [email protected] 5 School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Human activities continue to affect our water quality; it remains a major problem world- wide (particularly concerning freshwater and human consumption). A critical water quality index Citation: Akhtar, N.; Ishak, M.I.S.; (WQI) method has been used to determine the overall water quality status of surface water and Ahmad, M.I.; Umar, K.; Md Yusuff, groundwater systems globally since the 1960s. WQI follows four steps: parameter selection, sub- M.S.; Anees, M.T.; Qadir, A.; Ali indices, establishing weights, and final index aggregation, which are addressed in this review. Almanasir, Y.K. Modification of the However, the WQI method is a prolonged process and applied to specific water quality parameters, Water Quality Index (WQI) Process i.e., water consumption (particular area and time) and other purposes. Therefore, this review dis- for Simple Calculation Using the cusses the WQI method in simple steps, for water quality assessment, based on two multi-criteria Multi-Criteria Decision-Making decision-making (MCDM) methods: (1) analytical hierarchical process (AHP); and (2) measuring (MCDM) Method: A Review. Water attractiveness by a categorically based evaluation technique (MACBETH). MCDM methods can 2021, 13, 905. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/w13070905 facilitate easy calculations, with less effort and great accuracy. Moreover, the uncertainty and eclips- ing problems are also discussed—a challenge at every step of WQI development, particularly for Academic Editor: Sophia Barinova parameter selection and establishing weights. This review will help provide water management authorities with useful knowledge pertaining to water usage or modification of existing indicators Received: 2 February 2021 globally, and contribute to future WQI planning and studies for drinking, irrigation, domestic, and Accepted: 11 March 2021 industrial purposes. Published: 26 March 2021 Keywords: water quality assessment; physicochemical and biological parameters; water quality Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral index; multi-criteria decision-making; analytical hierarchical process; MACBETH with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affil- iations. 1. Introduction Water quality is intrinsically connected to human health, food production, gender equality, reduction of poverty, ecosystem livelihoods, economic development, and social Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. growth in our communities [1]. It is also one of the major problems in water resource Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. planning and management. Furthermore, an increase in urbanization, construction, agri- This article is an open access article cultural activities, industrial applications, and natural processes has adversely impacted distributed under the terms and the quality of surface water and groundwater, and its effects on human health throughout conditions of the Creative Commons the world, as shown in Figure1[ 2]. Water quality is usually classified into biological, Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// physical, and chemical parameters, and there are several parameters for each category [3]. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). The evaluation of these three categories, based on parameters through field monitoring Water 2021, 13, 905. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13070905 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/water Water 2021, 13, x 2 of 34 Water 2021, 13, 905 2 of 34 The evaluation of these three categories, based on parameters through field monitoring of waterof water sampling, sampling, provides provides essential essential information information for foridentifying identifying trends, trends, a wider a wider range range of knowledgeof knowledge to water to water resource resource authorities, authorities, and andfuture future planning planning recommendations recommendations [4]. Wa- [4]. terWater quality quality analysis analysis typically typically relates relates to tothe the qu qualityality of of natural natural water water and and its its possible possible uses uses (drinking,(drinking, domestic, domestic, irrigation, irrigation, and and industries). industries). In Inreality, reality, it is it isexpensive expensive and and laborious laborious to monitorto monitor the the parameters parameters of ofmultiple multiple contamin contaminationation sources sources entering entering into into surface surface water water bodiesbodies and and groundwater groundwater systems. systems. Furthermore, Furthermore, numerous numerous researchers researchers and and scientists scientists have have facedfaced difficulties difficulties inin describingdescribing andand addressing addressing water water in in a consolidateda consolidated and and simple simple way way [5]. [5].These These difficulties difficulties happen happen because because of the of the complexity complexity of water of water quality quality parameters parameters and and the thewide wide variability variability in in parameters parameters utilized utilized for for characterizing characterizing the the status status ofof waterwater quality of of waterwater resources. resources. This This has has contributed contributed to to seve severalral comprehensive comprehensive efforts, efforts, without without losing losing its its scientificscientific basis, basis, to to define define the the water water quality quality status status in in simple simple ways ways [6]. [6]. FigureFigure 1.1. ShowsShows the the quality quality of surface of surface water andwater groundwater and groundwater resources degradingresources by degrading anthropogenic by anthropogenic and natural processes from various sources, as well as the effect on human health and natural processes from various sources, as well as the effect on human health through these activities. through these activities. Regardless of this development, a simple evaluation of the water quality of groundwa- ter andRegardless surface waterof this is challengingdevelopment, to determine. a simple Theevaluation combined of impact the water of many quality different of groundwaterfactors that characterize and surface the water water is quality challengin andg the to challenges determine. of The classifying combined the significantimpact of manyparameters different used factors to measure that characterize the status ofthe water water resources quality and quantitatively the challenges are veryof classifying complex theto understand.significant parameters Therefore, the used water to measure quality index the status (WQI) of is water considered resources a mathematical quantitatively tool arethat very significantly complex minimizesto understand. the complex Therefore, water the quality water dataquality sets index and provides(WQI) is aconsidered single clas- asifying mathematical value that tool describes that significantly the water qualityminimizes status the of complex water bodies water orquality degree data of pollution. sets and providesFurthermore, a single WQI classifying is a single value dimensionless that describ numberes the water that describesquality status the overviewof water bodies of the oroverall degree water of pollution. quality status Furthermore, in a simple WQI way is a by single aggregating dimensionless the measurements number that of describes selected theparameters overview such of the as overall pH, nitrate, water dissolved quality status oxygen in (DO),a simple heavy way metal. by aggregating [7]. As early the as meas- 1965, urementsthis method of selected was introduced parameters through such as mathematical pH, nitrate, equationsdissolved oxygen to determine (DO), waterheavy qualitymetal. [7].status As early in the as river 1965, by this Horton method [8]. was The introduced WQI is determined through mathematical based on various equations biological, to de- terminephysical, water and chemicalquality status parameters in the thatriver define by Horton the various [8]. The purposes WQI is determined of utilization based of water on variousbodies forbiological, human physical, consumption, and chemical such as recreation,parameters drinking, that define industries, the various irrigation, purposes and of utilizationdomestic. of After water the bodies proposed for human WQI method consumption, by Horton, such theas recreation, numbers ofdrinking, WQI methods indus- tries,have irrigation, been developed and domestic. for various After purposes the proposed by numerous WQI method organizations by Horton, across the thenumbers globe,
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