Vulnerability of Groundwater System in Central Jordan Valley/Pollution Indicators and Decontamination Process

Abstract

More than 60% of the water demand in Jordan is covered by groundwater. Due to the accelerated population growth and development in all sectors including agriculture, more water has been pumped and more fertilizers have been supplied to the natural system. In the Jordan Valley; Agriculture is practiced along the year according to the agro climatic conditions as well intensive patterns of farming are carried out to satisfy the growing food demand in Jordan. Thus, Groundwater quality analysis proved that groundwater quality is relatively polluted with respect to NO ﹣ 3 and salinity. The pollution hot spots are mapped to be the vulnerable areas according to the considered variables (Geology, topography, land use …etc). Within this work groundwater quality was evaluated according to the global standards to be moderately polluted and not drinkable in more than 50% of the analyzed samples. The groundwater vulnerability map indicates that the pollution sources in the study area are mainly due to the agricultural return flow. To assure safe water supply for rural farmers a solar still was designed and implemented in the area for two months. The discharged water from the still proved to be suitable for drinking with no NO ﹣ 3 content and economically it can be handled by locals.