Water Quality and Its Health Impact in the Prefecture of Mohammedia, Morocco: A Review

One of the major concerns of the world today is the sustainable management of water resources. The qualitative and quantitative sustainability is a necessity to meet the water demand in the face of a strong demographic growth, increased economic activities, changing consumption patterns, and global change. The Prefecture of Mohammedia is a booming region with the extension of intensive irrigated agriculture and industrial zone in addition to the accelerated urbanization and the creation of the new Zenata city within the Prefecture. This development is accompanied by an increased degradation of water resources, which affects, in turn, the socio-ecological system. In this review, we review and analyze recent studies about the qualitative and quantitative evolution of water associated with global change, with a focus on data from institutional reports, in addition to data from field surveys. The groundwater was found to have higher concentrations in indicating permeation of wastewater (presence of E-coli); whereas surface water sources were contaminated and crossed the permissible limits for safe drinking water quality at point of meeting wastewater discharge. Also, bacteriological concentration in groundwater validated groundwater contamination, especially in the vicinity of landfills. The results show a significant spatial variability in the quantitative (piezometry) and qualitative (physio-chemical, biological, and hydro-geomorphological quality) distribution in the Prefecture of Mohammedia. The number of water-borne diseases validated the impact of water quality on consumer’s health. Further studies are needed to conduct an overall quality analysis of water resources based on the same parameters to serve as a reference for policy making regarding the sustainable management of water resources in the Prefecture of Mohammedia.