Comprehensive assessment of groundwater in the Argentine Pampas Plain using indices and discriminant analysis

Abstract

This study proposed to contribute to the integrated management of water resources, addressing complexity by combining two statistical tools, the index number model and discriminant analysis, using quantitative and qualitative data obtained through laboratory analyses and surveys. The main objective was to develop and apply two indices, evaluating their reliability through multivariate analysis, to analyse water management in rural schools in Tandil, Buenos Aires, Argentina. On the one hand, a water quality index was constructed based on physicochemical and microbiological parameters, which were weighted and valued according to compliance or non-compliance with regulations for drinking water. On the other hand, a water handling index was constructed from surveys carried out in schools, assigning weights and values ​​to the variables based on the responses obtained. The reliability of both indices was evaluated through correspondence analysis. The results showed that of the twenty-six schools analysed, eighteen had a water quality index classified as good, while four obtained a regular classification and another four poor. Regarding the handling index, eighteen schools obtained a high rating, while eight obtained a medium rating. The methodology employed allowed the identification of institutional and structural factors that compromise water quality, demonstrating its potential applicability to other environmental studies that require integrating qualitative and quantitative variables, with a reduced cost in obtaining data.