Uso de indices de calidad y de contaminación en la caracterización de fuentes hídricas

Abstract

The current problem of the water availability in quality and quantity is associated with the inadequate water resource management due to the development of socioeconomic activities. Worldwide, it is common to evaluate the condition of water resources through the Water Quality -WQI- and Water Pollution -WPI- indexes with the purpose of generating actions of adequate use and sustainable consumption. This paper reflects about the development, uses, advantages, limitations and applicability of these indices in the characterization of water sources, in the world and Colombia, specially in the Valle del Cauca, and their use as management tools. It was found that the indexes are a simple, concise and valid method that qualify with a single value the state of water. The main limitation of quality indexes is the loss of information and the hiding of real conditions, contrary to the pollution indexes that allow analyzing particular environmental problems. Therefore, in the selection or design of indexes should be based on the objective of the study, the degree of scientific rigor required, and prior knowledge and water uses.