Groundwater assessment based on analytic hierarchy process and the normal cloud model in Weinan, China

Abstract

Groundwater quality is facing a grim challenge due to the development of Weinan city. A multi-index comprehensive evaluation method—analytic hierarchy process and normal cloud model are proposed to evaluate the groundwater quality of Weinan city. Seven parameters including TH (total hardness), TDS (total dissolved solids), SO4 2-, Cl−, COD, NO2 −, Mn were selected to characterize the groundwater quality. The results show that the groundwater quality level of W6 and B557 are excellent water quality (I), H32, W15, W23, and W14 are good water quality (II), only B24 is medium or average water quality (III). Compared with other methods, the results obtained by the proposed method are in good agreement with the NI method but far from SFI method. This study confirms the suitability of the Analytic hierarchy process and Normal cloud model method in groundwater quality evaluation in Weinan city, and provides a reasonable basis for decision-makers of groundwater protection and utilization in Weinan city.