Water Quality Assessment using GIS based Multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) Methods in Yenagoa Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the quality of groundwater in Yenagoa, a metropolitan area, using Geographic Information System (GIS)-based methods such as Multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). The research emphasizes the crucial nature of protecting and managing groundwater quality in this region, as it is vulnerable to contamination. The spatial distribution patterns of groundwater quality in the area are depicted in this article. The physicochemical properties of fifty (50) water samples are directly related to residents' environmental and health status. The physicochemical parameters measured using the American Public Health Association procedure (APHA)—including pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids, sulphate, nitrate, sodium, chloride, and total hardness—were below the limit established by WHO (2011). Iron in most boreholes is found to be above the WHO standard for drinking water. With the help of ArcGIS software, these results were modeled using the inverse distance-weighted method to provide the spatial pattern of groundwater. The spatial distribution map delineates groundwater suitability zones of 55% and unsuitability zones of 45% for groundwater extraction of water points in yenagoa affected by high iron content. As a result, GIS is a powerful tool for making critical decisions in waste management-related issues, such as identifying areas where waste management practices may be deficient and allowing for targeted initiatives to improve waste management practices and reduce waste's negative impact on the ecosystem and public health.