Study of the classification of spring water with regard to the opinion of users: Case of the Tangier-Tetouan region, Western Morocco

In order to identify a classification according to the Hierarchical Ascending Classification (HAC) method, based on the physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters of the source waters of the Tangier-Tetouan region so as to determines the degree of the impact of certain anthropogenic activities upon the quality of spring water and to draw up a spatial typology analysis for possible proceedings that may protect these water resources, a multidisciplinary study has been realized. The latter is based on: an evaluation of the physico-chemical quality and, also, a study of the bacteriological quality of the source waters of the study area which has been carried out in accordance with the potability standard required by the World Health Organization. The overall results showed that almost all of the physico-chemical parameters correspond to Moroccan standards. The chemistry of the source waters of the Tangier-Tetouan region indicated two different facies: bicarbonate-calcium facies and chloride-calcium ones. All the results suggest an absence of input of heavy metals by the agricultural activity and a low contribution by the geological formation of the aquifers crossed by the groundwater. Bacteriological results showed microbial contamination that was observed for the majority of sources from runoff and domestic and industrial wastewater.