Treatment effectiveness of water in Bouhamdane watershed (Guelma, Northeastern Algeria)

Abstract

Purpose

This paper represents an analytical study conducted in the laboratory. The purpose of this paper is to monitor changes of some parameters related to water treatment in Hamman Bebagh (Bouhamdane Watershed).

Design/methodology/approach

This study was focused on three sites: river water, dam water and treated water during the first six months of 2014 (January-June). It included 16 physico-chemical parameters (PH, T, conductivity, etc.) and two bacteriological (E. coli, fecal streptococci). These parameters were analyzed to make a comparison between stagnant dam water (before and after treatment) and river water.

Findings

The obtained results over the whole period of analysis indicated that treated dam water was less loaded with organic materials, solids, dissolved salts (Cl⁻, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺) that were deposited at the bottom of the dam than dam water before treatment. On the other hand, river water was found to be more charged of suspended matter than the dam water and the treated water since flowing water carried all materials in its course. In terms of bacteriological quality, treated water was found to be free from all traces of bacteria analyzed that were present in the dam and the river before the treatment.

Originality/value

This study was proposed in order to see if it is necessary to establish a second treatment plant in the medium term. On the basis of this analysis, the end results have shown that the treatment plant was effective enough to reach the desired goal (treated water which respects the norms of OMS).

Citation

Benrabah, T.S., Hannouche, M. and Attoui, B. (2017), "Treatment effectiveness of water in Bouhamdane watershed (Guelma, Northeastern Algeria)", Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. 28 No. 4, pp. 507-514. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEQ-04-2015-0066