Assessment and spatial mapping of water quality parameters using QGIS: Creating a dynamic map

ABSTRACT Groundwater is a critical resource for drinking, irrigation, and industrial purposes, making up 30.1% of global freshwater. Ensuring its quality is vital for human health due to the risks of contamination. Effective management and monitoring of groundwater are essential, particularly in regions like Peninsular Malaysia where groundwater constitutes a significant water source. This study aims to generate and assess the spatial distribution of the groundwater quality index (GWQI) using quantum GIS (QGIS), perform a spatiotemporal analysis from 2014 to 2022, and develop a dynamic map for public accessibility. Addressing the need for efficient and cost-effective monitoring methods, this research moves beyond traditional resource-intensive approaches by leveraging QGIS for spatial interpolation. The goal is to provide a preliminary assessment method into groundwater quality trends and facilitate better resource management in Peninsular Malaysia. The study used historical groundwater quality data from 2014 to 2022, with QGIS software and the QGIS2Web plugin to create spatial and dynamic maps. The GWQI spatial distribution was generated using the inverse distance weighted method, and data were visualized through static and dynamic web maps hosted online for easy access. Overall, the study indicated stable but regionally variable groundwater quality, necessitating continued monitoring and targeted interventions.