Assessment of the Quality of Rainwater Collected by Roman Wells in Umm Saad Municipality

Abstract

The study area, Umm Saad, is located in eastern Libya, approximately 130 kilometers east of Tobruk. The local population relies on rainwater harvesting and groundwater as sources of drinking water and for agricultural purposes. This study aimed to assess the quality of water collected from Roman wells in the area by comparing it with local and international standards, including those of the World Health Organization and Libyan standards to ensure consumer safety.

Physical, chemical, and microbial analyses were conducted on water samples taken from eight Roman wells. The analyses included the estimation of cations (Ca⁺⁺, Na⁺⁺, Mg⁺⁺, K+) and anions (NO₃^-, H₂CO₃^-, Cl^-, SO₄^--), as well as measurements of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), and total hardness (TH). The results showed that the water from these wells meets the physical and chemical standards for drinking water. However, microbial analyses revealed the presence of high levels of coliform bacteria in some wells, particularly wells 5, 7, and 8, making them non-compliant with both local and international drinking water standards, posing a health risk to consumers.