Evaluation of water quality in open channels flowing through Beni-Mellal City (Morocco) / Ocena jakości wody w otwartych kanałach płynących przez miasto Beni-Mellal (Maroko)

Abstract

Abstract The water quality of the open channels (Foughal, OumDhar and Tamagnounte) flowing into Beni-Mellal city were assessed in a bid to determine impacts of anthropogenic activities. Physicochemical and bacteriological parameters comprising temperature, pH, alkalinity, electrical conductivity, oxidizability, total hardness, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, total coliforms, fecal coliforms and geochemical analyses were determined for the channels water before reaching the irrigation areas. While biological parameters demonstrated substantial variability, other parameters showed relatively little spatial variations. The spatial variations in water quality may be attributed to the effects of the urban wastewater discharge in the channels and to surface urban and agricultural runoff. Compared with drinking water quality standards of Moroccan and WHO, the results indicated that the channels water was suitable for drinking purpose with prior treatment. Various determinants such as electrical conductivity, residual sodium carbonate, total dissolved solids and hardness revealed that all water samples were suitable for irrigation.