ENVIROMENTAL IMPACT ON GROUNDWATER QUALITY OF THE QUATERNARY AQUIFER AT EL KHANKA environ QALUBIYA GOVERORATE ,EGYPT

Abstract

Groundwater of the Quaternary aquifer plays a vital role for satisfying water requirements for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes. During the last few years, the problem of groundwater contamination has been intensified mainly due to natural and human• related factors. It is common practice in rural areas that people dispose sewage via earth closets and septic tanks, from which sewage water percolates to groundwater. Shallow groundwater (<40m depth) in or adjacent to agricultural and dense populated areas require special considerations, particularly in rural area where it may used in domestic purposes. The proximity to land surface and the level of human activities increase the vulnerability of this resource to contamination. Groundwater vulnerability to pollution is mainly influenced by the thickness of clay cap; recharge rate to groundwater; and depth to water (RIGW I IWACO, 1998, Awad et al., 2002 and El Fakharany, 2004).

Groundwater pollution can occur in many ways and from many sources, natural and human -induced. Groundwater commonly contains one or more naturally occurring chemicals, leached from soil or rock by percolating water. Pollutants can enter groundwater water from many different generic sources as (human activities, agricultural activities, and industrial activities). The sources of human commonly are referred to as either point or nonpoint sources. Point sources are localized in areas of an acre or less, where as nonpoint sources are dispreads over broad area.