Development of a fuzzy-based approach for assessing water quality

Abstract Fresh water is vital for the survival of life. Rivers are the primary source of freshwater supply. However, over the past few decades, challenges concerning the sustainability of rivers and maintaining their water quality have become countless. Due to rapid and unrestrained advancements, the river's ecosystem gets imbalanced. To assess and predict the water quality from the real data collected, it becomes necessary to devise ways to interpret and analyze the data efficiently. The present work deals with the development of a water quality index based on a fuzzy approach for predicting the water quality of the river Yamuna. The utmost contaminated stretch of the river through Delhi has been taken up for this study. The proposed methodology is elementary, simple, effective, and flexible in assimilating uncertainties involved in complex water management problems. The suggested index involves the most dominant parameters and can act as a practical tool for routine water quality assessment. The outcomes of the study give pronounced facts to water authorities about the awful condition of the river Yamuna in Delhi.