Assessment of Inaouene River Pollution for Potable Water Supply, Northern Morocco

Under hydrological uncertainty and to secure the potable water supply for the Fez city with more than one million and a half inhabitants, the competent authority intends to bring water from the Idriss 1st reservoir 30 km away, downstream the Inaouene watershed. The pollution risks as well as the contamination degree of surface water and sediments were assessed by monitoring the physicochemical characteristics of the water and sediment samples. The results revealed high values of chemical oxygen demand and chloride mainly linked to the uncontrolled liquid discharges. Calcium and magnesium showed also high concentrations that are due to the watershed geology, where carbonate rocks are dominant. The contents of some heavy metals remain relatively low and within the Moroccan standards. The metal contents in sediments show a low degree of the anthropogenic pollution. This led to conclude that the waters and sediments in the study area show relatively degraded quality and then could be used for water supply under continuous control.