Determination of the status of water quality of a river or any other water source is highly indeterminate. It is necessary to have a competent model to predict the status of water quality and to show the type of water treatment that would be used to meet different demands. By exploring the behavior and limitations of conventional methods for quality evaluation, a better overall index for water quality in Iran and its application in Karoon River is proposed. Six variables are employed for the quality assessment. Numerical scales relating to the degree of quality are established for each variable to assess variations in quality and to convey findings in a comprehensive manner. The unit operates in a fuzzy logic mode including a fuzzification engine receiving a plurality of input variables on its input and being adapted to compute membership function parameters. A processor engine connected downstream of the fuzzification unit will produce fuzzy set, based on fuzzy variable namely dissolved oxygen (DO), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, nitrate, fecal coliform and pH. It has a defuzzification unit which operates to translate the inference results into a discrete crisp value of water quality index. The development of the fuzzy model with one river system is explained in this paper. Water quality index in most countries is only referring to physico-chemical parameters due to great efforts needed to quantify the biological parameters. This study ensures a better method to include special parameters into water quality index due to superior capabilities of fuzzy logic in dealing with non-linear, complex and uncertain systems.
In the present study, the physical and chemical quality of several borehole water sources, used by rural schools in Greater Giyani Municipality, were assessed to determine their safety for human consumption. Atomic absorption spectroscopy and ion chromatography were used to determine the chemical quality of water sources. The pH of the water samples varied between 5.29 and 8.3 and tended to be lower in summer and higher in winter. The turbidity values varied between 6.17 and 44.7 NTU in some of the schools. High concentrations of magnesium and total hardness were obtained from all water sources. Calcium concentrations were high in some schools. Anions such as chloride and sulphate were within the recommended Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) limits except for two sampling points. High concentrations of nitrates were obtained from all schools except in Nyanisi high school. There were no fluorides and phosphates from all schools. Heavy metals like arsenic, iron, cadmium and lead were within the recommended DWAF limits. The results obtained in this study indicate that the water from the studied boreholes is not suitable for human consumption based on hardness and nitrate content and may pose a serious threat to the health of the consumers and therefore calls for urgent intervention in order to reduce such chemicals and preserve the health of the children.
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