Groundwater quality of the alluvial and carbonate aquifers of Essaouira basin (Morocco)

The objective of this work was to determine the groundwater quality from semi-arid areas using physicochemical parameters, main dissolved constituents, boron, and selected metals and by taking as an example the Plio-Quaternary and Turonian aquifers of the Essaouira basin from western Morocco. The piezometric map shows that the groundwater flow is from the South-East to the North-West with a hydraulic gradient varying between 1.6 and 2.1%. Analytical results show that (1) groundwaters belong to the Na-Cl or Ca–Mg–Cl facies, (2) the groundwater mineralization is the result of the dissolution, base exchange, and marine intrusion processes. The concentrations of different metals in the water of the aquifers studied are relatively low and below the World Health Organization standards. The overall quality of the groundwaters hosted in the Plio-Quaternary and Turonian aquifers is medium to poor and not suitable for drinking. A suitable treatment should be considered before use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]