IMPACT ANTHROPIQUE SUR LA QUALITE DES EAUX SOUTERRAINES DU BASSIN VERSANT DE L’OUED TAZA (MAROC) ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACT ON GROUNDWATER QUALITY IN THE WATERSHED OF OUED TAZA (MOROCCO)

The main objective of this work is to determine the status of the groundwater quality in the watershed of Taza river, based primarily on physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters of groundwater. The Oued Taza is a small mountain river, 13.44 Km long, which drains a watershed of 40.07 km ². The outlet located at an altitude of 420 m corresponds to the confluence with the Oued Iarbaa. The average annual rainfall varies between 352 mm and 719mm while the annual average temperature is 18.1 ° C. Very high concentrations of nitrates, nitrites, heavy metals and bacterial load in some points near urban areas, illustrate the effect of human activities on degradation of water quality. This contamination could have several causes, the most important are related to household and industrial discharges (especially waters) spilled without any treatment in the rivers, and the use of fertilizers in agricultural areas. These results will enrich the database on water quality in the basin, and help policy makers to better decide on the management of water resources for a better sustainable development of the regio

Co-composting of Olive Mill Waste and Wine-Processing Waste: An Application of Compost as Soil Amendment

In order to decrease the environmental harm produced by the agro industries’ wastes’, an investigation of the co-composting of olive mill waste (olive mill wastewater (OMW), olive mill sludge (OMS)) and wine by-products (grape marc and winery wastewater) was done. Three aerated windrows of variable compositions were performed; these windrows differ in terms of their initial composition and the liquid used for their humidification; OMW and wastewater winery were used for humidification to replace water for windrow moistening. Moreover, the main physicochemical parameters (temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, and C/N) were monitored to evaluate the co-composting process. The latter lasted around three months. The elaborated composts were characterized by low C/N ratio, and they were rich in fertilizing and nutriment elements and of low heavy metal contents. The humidification of the windrows with OMW showed effectiveness in improving the windrows temperature, reflected by the high temperatures monitored during the composting process in comparison with the windrow humidified with winery wastewater. Furthermore, a longer thermophilic phase was held in windrows carrying OMS. The valorization of the produced composts for soil amendment significantly improved the soil fertility. Indeed, field experiments showed an increase in radish yield by 10%, the composts were harmless and did not have any phytotoxic effect on radish growth