Influence of Urbanization on Water Quality Deterioration of Northern Wadi Shu′eib Catchment Area Springs, Jordan

This study investigates the effect of urbanization and informal residential settlements on the springs’ water quality deterioration in Northern Wadi Shu′eib Catchment Area (NWSCA) that is mainly dominated by sedimentary rocks of the Upper Cretaceous Carbonate rocks. The present study examines ten representative springs out of twenty-two, in addition to the effluent of Salt Wastewater Treatment Plant (SWWTP). It also investigates the effect on water quality that is caused by urbanization and population growth around the recharge areas of the springs. It was found that the investigated springs are within the permissible limits of Jordanian Standards (JS) and World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines for drinking-water quality for the parameters of pH, EC, turbidity, total hardness, total alkalinity, chloride, sulfate, sodium, potassium and iron. However, it exceeded the JS and WHO Guidelines for drinking-water quality for nitrate, phosphate, lead, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and total Coliform.