Groundwater Quality Monitoring in Response to Marine Intrusion: A Case Study in Northern Morocco

Water stress, resulting from a demand for water exceeding the available quantity, is a major global challenge. Groundwater usage is a commonly adopted strategy to address this situation, but it often leads to marine intrusion, threatening the quality of water in coastal aquifers. This phenomenon typically stems from overexploitation of aquifers, declining water table levels, and rising sea levels due to climate change. Our study aims to monitor the quality of groundwater intended for human consumption and provide a detailed assessment of its current state. We identified several physicochemical parameters, such as temperature, pH, and bicarbonates, with maximum electrical conductivity values reaching 2810 µs/cm, a total hardness of 21 meq/L, sulfate levels of 689 mg/L, and chloride levels of 628 mg/L, from six boreholes and one well located along the coastal area of the Al Hoceima region. These samples were also subjected to Principal component analysis (PCA) of the chemical parameters, revealing two factors that represent approximately 62.15% of the total variance in the groundwater quality dataset. Simulation results indicate signs of seawater intrusion in several areas, particularly near the coast, emphasizing the urgency of protecting groundwater resources and developing sustainable management strategies to ensure a safe and reliable supply of drinking water in the region

Assessment of Water Treatment Processes and Quality Parameters at the Al Hoceima Desalination Plant

Water is a vital resource essential for sustaining life and supporting human development. In the face of increasing population growth, urbanization, and environmental challenges, ensuring access to clean and safe drinking water remains a global priority. This study focuses on assessing the efficacy of water treatment processes at the Al Hoceima Desalination Plant in Morocco, examining various parameters to evaluate water quality improvement. Physicochemical parameters such as pH, conductivity, turbidity, total hardness, alkalinity, chloride, sulfate, calcium, magnesium, and dissolved oxygen, as well as bacteriological indicators including Escherichia coli, intestinal enterococci, coliforms, specific growth rates at 22°C and 37°C, and clostridia spores, were analyzed. The study aims to provide insights into the effectiveness of advanced treatment technologies in producing potable water and ensuring a sustainable water supply. Results indicate significant improvements in water quality following treatment processes, highlighting the importance of reverse osmosis in meeting water quality standards and addressing water scarcity challenges

Potential reuse of sludge from a potable water treatment plant in Al Hoceima city in northern Morocco

Producing potable water generates a large amount of sludge, which consumes energy and must be managed and controlled. A case study of a potable water production plant in Al Hoceima City in northern Morocco is described here. The plant produces 15000 ​m3 of potable water each day to meet the water demand of Al Hoceima City, and this causes 3 ​t of sludge to be produced each day. Sludge extracted while producing potable water was characterized, and the possibility of reusing the sludge rather than disposing of it directly to the environment was assessed. The pH, turbidity, aluminum content, and other characteristics of the sludge were determined. Jar tests were performed to determine the optimum coagulant (aluminum sulfate) dose to ensure that the minimum required amount of aluminum sulfate was used. The characterization results indicated that the sludge was stable and reusable. The jar-test results allowed the amount of coagulant used to be optimized and will lead to markedly less sludge being disposed of than is currently the case

Analysis of the effectiveness of combining inorganic coagulants with chitosan and bentonite in the treatment of raw water

The production of drinking water often leads to the creation of a high residual concentration of aluminum when mineral salts are used. This concentration must be carefully monitored and controlled. A study was carried out at a drinking water production facility situated in Al Hoceima, Northern Morocco.Throughout this investigation, the treated water from the plant underwent comparative testing, evaluating the effectiveness of chitosan as a flocculant and bentonite as an adjuvant with inorganic coagulants (aluminum sulfate and ferric chloride). The objective was to reduce the residual aluminum concentration in the water after treatment while minimizing the use of inorganic coagulant. Coagulation-flocculation tests, employing a jar test, optimized coagulant dosage while enhancing turbidity and oxidability removal rates.The coagulation-flocculation tests showed that the combination of aluminum sulfate with 10 mg/L of chitosan and 140 mg/L of bentonite, proved to be significantly more effective. Compared to traditional treatment methods using aluminum sulfate alone, this combination reduced the residual aluminum concentration by 38.88%. The optimal parameters were as follows: aluminum sulfate dose of 10 mg/L, a pH of 7.83, an aluminum concentration of <0.07 mg/L, and a turbidity removal efficiency reaching 95.94% and oxidability removal of 42.70%