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Groundwater is a crucial drinking water resource for rural communities; however, the absence of adequate monitoring programs in these regions often results in uncertainties about groundwater quality. This study focuses on assessing the impact of nitrogen compounds from domestic wastewater on groundwater in rural communities within the province of Al Hoceima. The hydrochemistry of 33 groundwater samples was analyzed using various methods, including descriptive statistics, the Nitrate Pollution Index (NPI), the Chronic Health Risk Index (CHR), and a GIS-based spatial analysis. The investigation revealed significant contamination by nitrogen compounds in regions characterized by high population density. In these areas, nitrate (NO3-) and nitrite (NO2-) concentrations exceeded 50 mg/l and 0.2 mg/l, respectively, surpassing the WHO recommended limits. Notably, NO3- levels ranged from 0 to 89.63 mg/l, with 84.84% of groundwater samples contained more than 10 mg/l. The NPI values ranged from -1 to 3.48, with 33.33% of the samples were categorized as significantly and very significantly polluted. Additionally, CHR values ranged from 0 to 2.43 for adults, 0 to 2.03 for children, and 0 to 2.51 for infants. The CHR values exceeded 1 suggests that the contamination observed in the samples can be attributed to the widespread use of septic tanks in densely populated regions. Thus, to ensure the safety of rural communities, further assessments of health risks are mandatory.

One solution to the shortage of drinking water in Morocco is the development of reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants. However, the quality of the permeate produced is corrosive, unbalanced, and does not meet the standards required for its use. The post-treatment process at the Al-Hoceima desalination plant in northern Morocco consists of the addition of carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrated lime (Ca (OH)2). In this study, various analyses were utilized to assess the physical-chemical quality parameters of the water produced after remineralization. The results revealed that the remineralization method adopted by the plant is relatively complex and associated with difficulties in maintaining optimal remineralized water parameters such as pH, TAC, TH, and Ca2+. However, the water produced re-establishes its calcocarbonic balance and is of satisfactory quality for human consumption.

This study aims to establish susceptibility maps for the Moroccan Safi region, which is affected by karstification processes. This process is the predisposing factor for various landslide types such as debris flows and rock falls. In the first phase of this study, a landslide inventory was prepared by geomorphological approach based on visual interpretation of aerial photographs combined with direct observations in the field. The obtained inventory included 234 landslides: 14 rock slides and 75 debris flows in Brown Clay Formation, 74 rock falls in sandstone and 71 rock topples in Dridrat Limestone Formations. The inventory map showed that landslide phenomena occur mainly in the northwest and along the active coastal cliffs in the south of Safi. In the second phase, four landslide susceptibility maps were realized using the bivariate statistical method of Geographical Information System (GIS) matrix method (GMM). The established landslide susceptibility maps were validated by the degree of fit method. Obtained results showed that landslide phenomenon occurs mainly in the northwest and along the coastal cliffs in the south of the study area. Moreover, very high and high susceptibility levels were limited to the area including industrial and touristic activities as well as historical monuments. Overall, landslides were associated to karstification, lithology, karstic rocks and karstic spring presence, which are considered as predisposing and causal factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]