Seasonal Bacterial Contamination of Groundwater in the Zagora Area, Morocco
			
	
 
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				1
				Laboratory of Environment and Health, Natural Resources Management and Valorization Team, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco
				 
			 
						
				2
				Laboratory of Bioresources and Food Safety, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Cadi Ayyad University, 112Bd. Abdelkrim Al Khattabi, 549, 40000, Marrakech, Morocco
				 
			 
						
				3
				Museum of Natural History, Cadi Ayyad University, Abdelkrim Al Khattabi Avenue, 40000 Marrakech, Morocco
				 
			 
						
				4
				Laboratory of Agrophysiology, Biotechnology, Environment and Quality, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco
				 
			 
										
				
				
		
		 
			
			
		
		
		
		
		
		
	
							
										    		
    			 
    			
    				    					Corresponding author
    					    				    				
    					El Moustaine  Radouane   
    					Laboratory of Environment and Health, Natural Resources Management and Valorization Team, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco
    				
 
    			
				 
    			 
    		 		
			
																																 
		
	 
		
 
 
Ecol. Eng. Environ. Technol. 2023; 6:230-238
		
 
 
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ABSTRACT
The assessment of the bacterial quality of groundwater is a critical step in ensuring safe drinking water. For that, nine (9) water samples were collected from wells in the study area during the wet and dry seasons between December 2020 and December 2021. The parameters measured in this study include total germs at 22°C (TG-22°C) and 37°C (TG-37°C), total coliforms (TC), fecal coliforms (FC), fecal streptococci (FS), and the sulfito-reductor clostruim (SRC). The results show that the contamination levels vary widely between the different wells and between seasons. The highest levels of contamination were found in W6, with the highest values of all parameters measured except for TC. W1 and W7 were the only wells that were protected, and they had lower levels of contamination compared to unprotected wells. The sources of pollution were mainly related to agricultural activities, such as animal waste and metal waste. The findings of this study suggest the need for improved management practices to reduce contamination and protect the groundwater resources in the study area.