Determining Spatial and Temporal Changes of Water Quality in Hlaing River using Principal Component Analysis

Abstract

Water quality of a River is important as it is used for drinking, domestic purpose and agriculture. Hlaing River is one of the most important rivers in Yangon Region. The River plays an important role to supply water transportation for Hlaingtharyar, Insein and Htantapin Townships. The objective of the paper is to assess the change of water quality in Hlaing River in the wet and dry seasons. The secondary data used in the study are monthly mean temperature in Yangon (Average) between 2007 and 2016 and monthly rainfalls in Yangon (Average) between 2007 and 2016. Primary data are collected for sampling points. 8 numbers of samples were collected at different selective sampling points. A number of physiochemical water quality parameters including Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Total Suspended Solid (TSS) are tested. Principal component analysis in SPSS is used to know the correlations of the variables and to determine how many important components are present in the data. Sample points located at the same river and nearer places are in same component. According to the water quality surveys, the water quality of Hlaing River met the level of Class (III) of the Interim National Water Quality Standards of Malaysia (for Water supply) in wet season because of dilution process at that time and in dry season some part of Hlaing River met the level of Class (IV) of the Interim National Water Quality Standard of Malaysia (for irrigation purpose).