Are there Monthly Variations in Water Quality in the Amman, Zarqa and Balqa Regions, Jordan?

Abstract

This study investigated the monthly variation of water quality in the Amman-Zarqa and Balqa regions in Jordan in terms of pH, ammonium, nitrate and conductivity. During 2004 there was no monthly variation in water quality for most of the tested parameters. All readings were above the accepted range except for pH, indicating that land use does have an impact on water quality irrespective of urban, industrial or agricultural usage. The water quality remained for the most part below the maximum levels for drinking standards in Jordan, but these standards are often below the WHO recommendations. The pH was found to fluctuate through the year. Nitrate levels were highly seasonal in irrigated lands but remained stable over basin covered by other land uses. Ammonium levels were high in areas of urbanisation and intensive animal husbandry as a consequence of effluent infiltration, peaking during the wet season due to increased infiltration. These results indicate that, over an annual cycle, the variation in water quality remains constant; however the continued drawdown of the aquifer system will inevitably lead to deterioration in the parameters investigated.