Title: Geospatial water quality assessment system for the Sg. Buloh river basin in Malaysia

Authors: M.K. Rowshon; M.M. Mbaruk; Martin J. Marriott; M.S.M. Amin; Amimul Ahsan; Eric W.K. Loh

Addresses: Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor DE, Malaysia ' Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor DE, Malaysia ' School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, University of East London, Docklands Campus, University Way, London E16 2RD, UK ' Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor DE, Malaysia ' Department of Civil Engineering, Institute of Advanced Technology, Universiti Putra, Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor DE, Malaysia ' School of Civil Engineering, Linton University College, Bandar Universiti Teknologi Legenda (BUTL), 71700, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

Abstract: Assessment of pollution risk requires the assimilation of spatio-temporally variable data on water quality parameters. This paper describes a GIS user-interface program coupled with a water quality index (WQI) model that was developed and built to assess water quality in the Sg. Buloh river basin. Fifty-two water sampling stations were selected for this study, and the WQI model considers parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids and ammonia nitrogen, as used by the Department of Environment in Malaysia. The spatial pattern of each parameter was analysed, and WQI values were calculated, ranging from 4.48 to 76.8 on a scale with 100 representing the highest pristine quality. A map of WQI is provided, which will help planners and decision makers to develop water pollution control strategies, and the model is capable of extension with further data to address pollution risk.

Keywords: geospatial systems; water quality; quality assessment; Malaysia; GIS user interface; geographical information systems; interactive systems; water pollution; pollution risk; risk assessment; pollution control; pH; dissolved oxygen; biochemical oxygen demand; BOD; chemical oxygen demand; COD; total suspended solids; TSS; ammonia nitrogen.

DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2014.065795

International Journal of Water, 2014 Vol.8 No.4, pp.401 - 421

Received: 13 Nov 2012
Accepted: 10 Jun 2013
Published online: 29 Nov 2014 *

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