Groundwater Quality Assessment for Human Drinking in Rural Areas, Al-Hoceima Province (Northern Morocco)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess the quality of water for drinking in the rural area of the city of Al-Hoceima, in order to measure the health risks to which people who use it for their needs are exposed. A cross-sectional, de-scriptive, and analytical study was carried out on 60 households selected randomly. Well and spring water samples (8 wells and 8 springs) were collected in November and December 2019 and analyzed according to the standard methods of water analysis. The survey indicated that water consumed by 80.00% of households does not receive any prior treatment. With the lack of a collective excreta and wastewater management system in the municipal-ity, 99.00% of households have latrines, 50.00% of which are installed within 15meters of the water source. The bacteriological analyses indicate that all the sampled points are contaminated by fecal contamination germs. This poor quality may be due to various anthropogenic activities, and the presence of non-standardized septic tanks. Therefore, protecting and improving water sources must be accompanied by adequate measures of disinfection of these waters before their use.