Hydro chemical Characteristics and Portability of Consumer Water Sources in Arid Regions: A Case Study of Biskra (South-East of Algeria).
Abstract
This study evaluates the hydro chemical properties of eleven water samples in Biskra region. The sources studied included six tap water samples from different urban neighborhoods, three groundwater samples distributed by tanker trucks, and two samples (raw and treated water) from the Bouchegroun desalination plant. The physicochemical properties were systematically analyzed. Statistical evaluation was performed using SPSS software, applying one-way ANOVA to identify statistically significant differences (p<0.05) in the mean physicochemical values between the water sources and different areas, followed by Tukey's HSD test to identify homogeneous subgroups. All experimental results were rigorously compared with national standards and WHO guidelines. Nitrate concentrations in all samples were found to be acceptable, being less than 50 mg/L. The water quality index classification results showed that the tap water was of poor quality, containing high levels of salinity, electrical conductivity, chloride, and sulfate, significantly exceeding the limits permitted in Algeria and by the WHO. This indicates the need for water treatment before use for human consumption. In contrast, groundwater samples transported by tankers showed mineralization that met standards and were classified as potable. Furthermore, the reverse osmosis membrane technology used at the Bouchegroun desalination plant demonstrated outstanding performance, achieving an overall ion rejection and treatment efficiency of 90%. This underscores the high reliability of reverse osmosis technology in reducing salinity and successfully converting brackish groundwater into high-quality freshwater suitable for drinking under arid climatic constraints. This study will assist decision-makers in the region to make informed decisions regarding tap water treatment for human consumption. Keywords: Groundwater quality, Potability, Reverse Osmosis, One-way ANOVA, Algerian standards, WHO guidelines