USE OF WATER QUALITY INDICES FOR EVALUATION OF THE SAIGON RIVER WATER QUALITY FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES

Abstract

The Saigon river is one of the most important surface water sources in Binh Duong province. River water is used for many different purposes in the province. This study aimed to assess the water quality of the Saigon river and its suitability for specific uses. Based on water quality data obtained monthly from December 2019 to November 2020, water quality indices were applied to evaluate the water quality of the river for purposes such as public water supply, agriculture, industry, and aquatic life protection. Inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation in geographic information system (GIS) was used to produce visualized zoning maps for river water quality. The results showed that the WQIs varied from 10 to 65 for public water supply, 67 to 100 for agriculture, 26 to 100 for industry, and 3 to 83 for aquatic life protection. The river water could be used for the purposes of agriculture and industry, but was not suitable for public water supply and aquatic life protection. The findings provide useful information for water resource management and water pollution control of the river.