Comparison of Taguchi Method and Multivariate Regression in Determining Factors Affecting Water Quality Indicators (WQIs) (Case study: Karaj Regulatory Dam Outlet)
Subject Areas : Water and Environment
1 - Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Civil and Transportation Faculty, University of Isfahan, Isfahan 81746-73441, Iran. *(Corresponding Author)
2 - Master's student in water resources engineering and management, Civil Engineering Faculty, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran.
Keywords: Reducing monitoring costs, Taguchi method, Water quality index, WQIs factors reduction. ,
Abstract :
Background and Objective: Water quality indicators are among the tools which is used to evaluate the quality of surface water resources. Many researchers have tried to provide these indicators with fewer factors to reduce their monitoring costs for useing in underdeveloped countries. The purpose of this study was to compare the results of Taguchi method and multivariate regression in reducing the factors of NSF-WQI (National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index).
Material and Methodology: In this research, the water quality results of Karaj regulatory dam have been used as a case study to show the capability of Taguchi method in comparison with different linear multivariate regression. For this purpose, the NSF-WQI water quality index was used by 9 factors.
Findings: The results of Taguchi method at 95% confidence level and with a minimum percentage influence (PI) of 1.5% at case study area, showed that in the different seasons between 3 (Dissolved Oxygen, Total Phosphorus and Fecal Coliform) and 4 (Dissolved Oxygen, Total Phosphorus, Fecal Coliform and Tourbidity) factors were effective in determining the NSF-WQI. The same results were obtained with multivariate linear regression. The using of 5% for PI showed that at least 2 and maximum 3 factors were effective in the water quality index determinating. In this case, the regression correlation of models was more than 0.96.
Discussion and Conclusion: In addition to using multivariate regression to reduce the WQIs factors, Taguchi method can also be used to determine the effective WQI factors and the contribution of each to the final result of water quality. In this study, 1.5% and 5% PI were suggested as the minimum and maximum decision-making limits as one of the statistical outputs of the Taguchi method.
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