Monitoring the Hygienic Quality of well and Spring Water Using GIS: A Case Study in the Taza Region (Morocco)

Groundwater is a vital resource for the economy of the Taza region. A 12-month prospective study was carried out from March 2023 to April 2024, with the aim of assessing the hygienic quality (physico-chemical and bacteriological), using a geographic information system or GIS, of well and spring water used as drinking water and for domestic activities by the population of certain communes in the Taza region. A total of 11 water samples were taken at 11 points likely to pose a health risk to their users. These points were identified by data sheets indicating their topographical coordinates. The results revealed various types of contamination, mainly expressed by two types of pollution: significant microbial pollution in 100% of the waters, originating from percolating runoff and domestic and industrial wastewater; low to significant chemical pollution in all the waters studied. The results obtained show that the various parameters: dissolved oxygen, nitrate and nitrite concentrations are too high in relation to national standards in several of the samples analyzed.