Spatial prioritisation for water quality in Ranibandh block, Bankura district using a multicriteria stochastic modelling approach

Water quality plays a crucial role in safeguarding public health and ensuring the availability of water resources. This research assesses the water quality within the Ranibundh CD Block, situated on the western edge of the Khatra Subdivision in the Bankura district of India. The research utilises Water Quality Index (WQI) using various physico-chemical parameters, such as pH, Total Iron (Fe), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Magnesium (Mg), Fluoride, Turbidity, and Total Hardness (TH). Water samples were collected from field sources and the West Bengal Public Health Engineering Department (WBPHED) throughout the pre-monsoon season of 2020, with 65 stations sampled across the study area. A total of 28 significant sites exhibiting the highest physicochemical values were chosen for a comprehensive assessment aimed at evaluating the overall status of water quality. The evaluation process involved classifying the water quality as either safe or unsafe through the application of the traditional weighted arithmetic index and the multi-attribute VIKOR methods. The VIKOR method was adopted as an alternative strategy for analysing water quality. To achieve the study’s primary objective of water quality-based spatial prioritisation, the Voronoi approach was employed, allowing for the delineation of areas influenced by each sample site about contaminants. The final spatial prioritization was based on Gram Panchayat-wise occurrences of safe water status. The results of this study aim to assist planners, managers, and specialists in formulating effective management strategies to ensure a sustainable supply of safe drinking water, thereby enhancing long-term community health and water security.