Study of the Physico-Chemical and Microbiological Quality of Water from River Innaouene, Taza Province, Morocco

Abstract

In recent decades, the province of Taza has undergone extensive agricultural modernization, marked by an increase in industrial units such as modern oil mills and olive canneries. At the same time, rapid population growth has exacerbated an important problem, the deterioration of the quality of water resources in limited quantities. This study explored the heart of matter by meticulously sampling physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters at eight strategically chosen sites. Conducted in late July 2021, the survey focused on the surface waters of the Innaouene River, providing a timely and insightful examination of the complex dynamics of water quality in the context of modernization and demographic change. This work focused on the determination of physicochemical and microbiological parameters of water. The results of the analyses show that this river is subject to multiple constraints and reaches its tolerance level on most of its sections. A multivariate statistical approach: principal component analysis (PCA) has shown that water pollution in the Innaouene River is mainly related to untreated wastewater discharges into streams. Water quality is considered bad to very bad. Therefore, ecological and health impacts can occur.