Groundwater Quality in Sidi Slimane, Morocco

Abstract

Background. Groundwater is an important source of drinking water for human and animal populations and therefore should be protected from pollution. The study area, Sidi Slimane, is in the western region of Morocco, which is a highly important agricultural area. Objectives. The aim of the present study was to assess the suitability of groundwater for drinking in the Sidi Slimane region. Methods. Twenty (20) samples were collected from different locations in the study area in 2015 in order to evaluate the quality of groundwater for human consumption. Collection, transportation and analysis of samples were performed according to the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater of the American Public Health Association (APHA), 2017. The major ions (cations and anions), ammonium (NH4+), pH and electrical conductivity (EC) of the groundwater samples were analyzed. Total dissolved solids (TDS) and total hardness (TH) parameters were calculated on the basis of obtained chemical data. ArcGIS program (version 10.4.1) was used in the preparation of topographic and hydrological maps of the study area. Results. Groundwater showed high concentrations of most parameters of drinking water quality according to Moroccan and international standards. Groundwater was brackish and very hard. The results showed that sodium and chloride ions were the predominant ions. Salinity was present at low depths. The majority of groundwater samples in the study area (18 out of 20) were sodium chloride type, and only 2 samples were mixed calcium-magnesiumchlorine type. Discussion. The obtained results were compared with the Moroccan standards for drinking water. The results show that 100%, 75%, 70%, 70%, 65% and 55% of groundwater samples exceeded the permissible limits for drinking water quality according to the Moroccan standard with regard to sodium, calcium, TDS, EC, chlorine, and nitrate, respectively. Conclusions. Most of the groundwater samples in the study area showed poor drinking water quality. Groundwater quality must be protected by controlling the use of pesticides, fertilizers, manure, and harmful irrigation practices. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests

Groundwater Vulnerability Mapping Using the Susceptibility Index (SI) Method and Tritium Isotopes: A Case Study of the Gharb Aquifer in Northwestern Morocco

“…The Gharb region is mainly agricultural, with extensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Combined with household emissions, this poses an ongoing risk to groundwater quality [32,33].The mapping of vulnerability to pollution of the shallow aquifer in the study area identified three vulnerability classes: low vulnerability, moderate vulnerability, and high vulnerability, which deserve special attention in terms of protection. The moderate vulnerability class represents the largest area, accounting for 71.47% of the total, highlighting a predominance of moderate intrinsic vulnerability in the study region.…”

Evaluation of Groundwater Quality and Contamination Using Groundwater Pollution Index (GPI), Nitrate Pollution Index (NPI) and GIS

“…2). The general trend of surface water movement in the area (hydrology of this region) is towards the northwest as shown in the Map gure (1) [7].…”

“…The region also has groundwater resources at different depths which allow it to meet irrigation needs that are potentially important asset for its socio-economic development. According to the Ministry of the Interior 2015 record [7], the main ones can be listed as below: (i) the Gharb basin with an area of 390 km², with 126 Mm 3 /year of renewable resources and a relatively balanced water balance, the one of hydrogeological interest on a regional scale characterized by a signi cant recharge by precipitation water; (ii) the Maâmora basin with an area of around 4000 km² that constitutes a large reservoir of water of 134 Mm 3 /year of renewable resources; (iii) the Témara basin with a potential input of 17 Mm 3 /year, which covers an area of 350 km 2 the depths relative to the ground oscillate between 10 m in the West and 30 m in the East; (iv) the Shoul Basin that is considered a natural extension of the Maâmora Basin, which covers an area of 200 km 2 with potential contribution of 7.5 M m 3 /year and water depth varies between 20 and 60 m.…”

Evaluation of Groundwater Quality and Contamination Using the Groundwater Pollution Index (GPI), Nitrate Pollution Index (NPI), and GIS

“…The region also has groundwater resources at different depths, which allow it to meet irrigation needs that are potentially important assets for its socio-economic development. According to the Ministry of the Interior 2015 record [8], the main ones can be listed below: (i) the Gharb basin with an area of 390 km 2 , with 126 Mm 3 /year of renewable resources and a relatively balanced water balance, the one of hydrogeological interest on a regional scale characterized by a significant recharge by precipitation water; (ii) the Maâmora basin with an area of around 4000 km 2 that constitutes a large reservoir of water of 134 Mm 3 /year of renewable resources; (iii) the Témara basin with a potential input of 17 Mm 3 /year, which covers an area of 350 km 2 the depths relative to the ground oscillate between 10 m in the West and 30 m in the East; (iv) the Shoul Basin that is considered a natural extension of the Maâmora Basin, which covers an area of 200 km 2 with potential contribution of 7.5 M m 3 /year and water depth varies between 20 and 60 m.…”

“…Consequently, safeguarding water resources from NO 3 − contamination becomes paramount, especially in arid and semi-arid regions where water resources are both scarce and heavily utilized [6,7]. Indeed, various studies have shown that excessive groundwater extraction and the application of nitrogen-based fertilizers contribute to groundwater pollution and heighten the risks to human health [8,9].…”