Application of the Water Quality Index (NSFWQI) on the Al-Sain Lake

This research aims to evaluate the water quality of the Al-Sain lake which feeds mainly the Lattakia city and a part of the Tartous city of drinking water purpose. In this paper, we study a group of physical and chemical factors for the water of the Al-Sain lake during the years of available data (1991-2004-2007-2011), samples were taken from four different locations according to the program approved by the concerned staff to monitor and protect the lake, namely: (Lattakia water supply point, Tartous water supply point, irrigation point, southern spring observatory), and we calculated the quality index for drinking purposes using US approved methodology of National Sanitation Foundation. Nine factors have been adopted: (dissolved oxygen, fecal coliforms, pH, BOD5, temperature, phosphate, nitrates, turbidity, and total solids). The research result showed that the classification of water quality was good in all four monitoring points during the years 1991 and 2004, noting a significant improvement of the quality in 2004, and decreases slightly during the years 2007 and 2011 for monitoring points in the Lattakia water supply and irrigation points, but water quality still keep maintain a good classification, while the quality of the water goes down within the threshold of middle classification for the Tartous and southern spring observatory monitoring point.

Estimation of the Residues of Pesticides, Bacteria and Parasites in the Surface and Ground waters at Damascus Gouta

The Barada River and the ground waters of Damascus Gouta are considered as a source for irrigation and for increasing the fertility of the soil since the very old times. But, the concentrate on the rabid agricultural and industrial development led to the aggravation of the water shortage problem and its contamination by pesticides, chemical pollutants and pathogens microbes. Therefore, this led to the exposition of the plantations, livestock and human health risks. This study aims to the estimation of the remaining effect of the pesticides and the definition of the concentration of some hazardous heavy metals as well as the study of numerical changes of the pathological bacteria and parasites in the waters of the Barada River tributaries and the ground waters in the Damascus Gouta under different climatic conditions around the year. This study also defines the potential health hazards related to such a contamination as well as putting forward some necessary proposals and recommendations for protecting the public health and environmental safety in Damascus and its countryside.