Physico-Chemical Assessment of Groundwater from wells and Boreholes in three Agricultural Regions of the Sétif High Plains, North-Eastern Algeria

Abstract

In the Hautes Plaines region of Sétif (northeastern Algeria), preserving groundwater quality is a major challenge for the drinking water supply. This study aims to assess the physicochemical quality and analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of water from wells and boreholes in three agricultural municipalities: Mezloug (S1), Guellal (S2), and Bir Haddada (S3). A total of 90 samples were collected during two seasonal campaigns—one in winter and one in summer—between 2017 and 2018. Sixteen physicochemical parameters were analyzed using the Rodier method and compared to JORA and WHO standards. Descriptive statistics and principal component analysis (PCA) were performed. The results revealed high mineralization, with electrical conductivity (EC) values ranging from 4.33 to 8,460 µS/cm and TDS concentrations ranging from 518 to 5,500 mg/L. Stations S1 and S2 exhibited high hardness, with maximum values of 4,800 mg/L at station S1, as well as high concentrations of calcium (569.20 mg/L), chlorides (1481.93 mg/L), and sulfates (485 mg/L at station S1). Nitrate contamination was of particular concern at station S1, with a maximum of 88.55 mg/L of NO₃⁻, exceeding the limit of 50 mg/L, while nitrite concentrations sometimes reached 0.60 mg/L. These variations result from the interaction between natural hydrogeochemical processes and diffuse anthropogenic inputs associated with agricultural activities, hence the need for monitoring and more rational management of natural resources