Spatial assessment of groundwater quality for drinking In Souk El Arbaa, Morocco

Morocco is facing challenges with its water resources due to population growth, industrial expansion, agriculture, urban development, tourism, climate change, overuse of underground water sources, and pollution from inadequate sanitation and chemical fertilizers. The Gharb aquifer is significant for supplying drinking water and irrigation in the country. Souk El Arbaa is a Moroccan city located in the northwestern part of the Kingdom of Morocco in the Kenitra Province. Its economic activities depend mainly on agriculture and livestock raising. This study aims to assess the groundwater status of a basin in a semi-arid climate in the Souk El Arbaa for drinking purposes by collecting 14 samples in 2022 from different locations and analyzing their physicochemical characteristics. The quality assessment was made by estimating electrical conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, bicarbonates, chloride, sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium. The results showed that most of the groundwater in the study area is very hard, and all groundwater in the study area, according to the Moroccan Standards for drinking purposes, exceeds the permissible limits for nitrate and ammonium.