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Geosciences and Earth Sciences 
 Ahmad,Wasim

Ghanem, Marwan

Ahmad, Waseem

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The	Environmental	Effect	of	the	Spring	Water	in
Matwi	Catchment/	Palestine
Article	·	October	2014
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Ghanem & Ahmad / Mor.J.Chem. 2 N° 5 (2014) 443-446                                                                    EDE4
 
443 
 
 
 
 
The Environmental Effect of the Spring Water in Matwi Catchment/ Palestine 
 
M. Ghanem and W. Ahmad 
  
Birzeit University, P.O.Box 14, Ramallah, Palestine 
 
*
 Corresponding Author. M. Ghanem. E-mail: mghanem@birzeit.edu 
Received 13 Sept 2014, Revised 01 Oct 2014, Accepted 24 Oct 2014 
 
Abstract 
The main objective of this Research is to determine the pollution level of these springs in reference to physical, 
chemical and biological parameters. The degrees of pollution of the spring water resulting from flowing of the 
wastewater inside the Matwi catchment / Salfeet area. The water quality of these springs was studied through 
determination of the major and minor ion concentrations as well as the microbiological parameters. Their 
suitability for irrigation purposes and the anthropogenic pollution of these springs was evaluated and indicated 
that the spring water nearby the wastewater flow wadi is unsuitable for drinking and agricultural purposes. All 
analysed springs show FC and TC of thousands of colonies / 100 ml, which indicate of wastewater flow 
contaminations. The hydrochemical properties of all spring samples in the sampling campaigns that was carried 
out in June 2013 show a water type of Ca – Mg – HCO3, which agrees with the nature of the outcropping of 
these springs in Sarida Catchment of carbonate rocks. In some of them like the NO3, is due to the pollution of 
wastewater, especially the Matwi spring in the western side of the catchment of 66 mg/L which is above the 
WHO standards. The spring water samples are plotted using Piper diagram and all samples are falling in the 
earth alkaline water with prevailing bicarbonate and in the domain of Ca – Mg – HCO3, which frequently 
recharging water in limestone and dolomite aquifers of Durov diagram.  
 
Keywords: Matwi, wastewater, spring water - pollution
 
1. Introduction 
Due to the importance of water for life and development of communities, there must be a special attention to 
protect water resources particularly in arid and semiarid areas. Wastewater is considered as one of the most 
effective contaminator to the water resources; it may affect surface water, springs and groundwater aquifers. Its 
effect on surface water occurred immediately after receiving the water stream, and indirectly in the case of 
springs and groundwater aquifers.  However, there is carelessness in wastewater management in Wadis in the 
West Bank which has a high quality strength [1]. This strength is due to low water consumption and people’s 
habits [2]. The main objective of the study is to assess and evaluate the environmental impact of the wastewater 
discharged from the Israeli colonies inside the Matwi Catchment on the nearby  Palestinian communities .This 
Ghanem & Ahmad / Mor.J.Chem. 2 N° 5 (2014) 443-446                                                                    EDE4
 
444 
 
research is to identify the levels and degrees of pollution of the waters of the springs in the Matwi Catchment.  
The Matwi drainage basin was chosen for this study as there is a lack of data concerning the impact of the 
wastewater disposal in the area on the water quality of the located springs. The evidence of pollution and 
elevated indicator levels for certain parameters from those springs in the drainage area is a potential health 
hazard for the local inhabitants and the spring water users. It will focus on the determination of the pollution 
levels of these springs in reference to physical, chemical and biological parameters. To identify the causes of 
pollution through the laboratory analysis, the micro-biological and the hydrochemical parameters have to be 
detected.  Their suitability for irrigation purposes and the anthropogenic pollution of these springs will be 
evaluated. The exploration of the pollution sources on its effects on the quality of surface water flow, springs 
water that are locating along the catchment. An environmental survey reveals that there are 363 disposal sites 
discharging raw wastewater into the environment in the West Bank [3].   Eight of these are at Al-Qilt catchment 
which starts from Al-Bireh wastewater treatment plant (5000 m
3
/d).  Furthermore, there are Israeli colonies and 
other Palestinian communities discharging their wastewater into the wadi. Moreover, the problem increases 
when people evacuate their septic tanks by tanker trucks into Al-Qilt wadi at arbitrary places. All these sources 
are mixed with the urban runoff and dumping site leachates at the winter season. In addition, a report by 
CH2MHill, [4] for the Palestinian Water Authority  [4] (CH2Mhill, 1999) concerns the West Bank aquifers and 
focuses on Al-Qilt catchment in order to understand the potential of wastewater pollution sources to the 
groundwater. Human activities are known to be significant sources for metals in the environment through waste 
effluents and atmospheric emission [5]. Other studies [6] [7] [8] reveal that heavy and trace metals derive from 
human activities such as industrial activities, automobiles, batteries, tyres and wastewater disposal.  
The Study Catchment area is a hilly region and extends from Salfit governorate north, towards the south-west of 
Ramallah governorate, then towards the green line, and ends in the Mediterranean Sea. The climate is semiarid, 
dry long summer with an average temperature of 22°C and rainy short winter with an average temperature of 
11°C, of 650 mm of rainfall. That has a high water quality, representing 50% of fresh water in the area, used by 
many wells located along the green line of the study area [9].  
 
2. Materials and methods  
A spring water sampling campaign for the year 2012/2013 will be carried out for hydrochemical analyses. 
There are more than twenty springs in Matwi catchment. Among them are the springs of Al Matwi, Al Shalal, 
Al Mezrab, Al Juz, Al Maseela, Al Fawar, Al Matwi, Abu Nyak, in addition to Aboud springs.The first 
sampling campgain will be after the spring recharge. The collected samples should include spring water and 
wastewater samples. Physical (pH, T, EC,  Turbidity), hydrochemical (major ions (Ca, Mg, K, Na, CL, HCO3, 
SO4, NO3), trace elements (Fe, Cr, Pb, Zn, Ti, Ni, Cu, Cd, Co, B)) and microbiological parameters (Fecal and 
Total Coliform) should be tested by field measurements and lab analyses for spring water and wastewater 
samples. Ten spring samples were taken and were analyzed at the labs of Birzeit University.  
 
3. Results and Discussion 
Two spring water samples will be taken for the year 2013. One sampling was ended which represent the water 
samples before the renewable recharge to the springs. Table 1 represents the analyzed major ions of these 
Ghanem & Ahmad / Mor.J.Chem. 2 N° 5 (2014) 443-446                                                                    EDE4
 
445 
 
springs. The physical parameters of these springs are illustrated in Temperature and pH parameters. The 
Temperature shows a range between 21.8 – 25 °C with an average of 22.9 °C. The pH has an average of 7.6 and 
shows a difference of 0.4 between the spring samples. The Electric conductivity show a range between 422 to 
717 µS. The hydrochemical properties of all spring samples show a water type of Ca – Mg – HCO3, which 
agrees with the nature of the outcropping of these springs in Matwi Catchment. The cations show an average of 
68.7, 26.5 and17.5 mg/L for the Ca, Mg, Na, respectively. The anions show a large range between them. In 
some of them like the NO3, is due to the pollution of wastewater in some of the springs, especially the Matwi 
spring in the western side of the catchment. The spring water samples are plotted using Piper diagram and all 
samples are falling in the earth alkaline water with prevailing bicarbonate (Fig. 1). 
                     
Figure 1. The piper diagram of Matwi spring water samples. 
 
The spring water samples are plotted using Durov diagram and all samples are falling in the domain of  
Ca-Mg-HCO3, which frequently recharging water in limestone and dolomite aquifers. The spring water samples 
are plotting in the Wilcox diagram, which representing SAR  against the Conductivity and show all samples 
falling within the field of S1,C2 (Fig. 2). This means that they are in the zones of medium salinity to low SAR, 
which is good for agriculture, with the exception of the Matwi Spring. Microbiological analyses of FC and TC 
show a huge amount of colonies in all springs. It is shown that all samples are infected with microbiological 
organism’s bacteria. 
                                    
Figure 2. Wilcox Diagram 
80 60 40 20 20 40 60 80
20
40
60
80 80
60
40
20
20
40
60
80
20
40
60
80
Ca Na+K HCO3 Cl
Mg SO4
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
A
A
A
A
A
100 1000
Salinity Hazard (Cond)
0
6
13
19
26
32
S
od
iu
m
 H
az
ar
d 
(S
A
R
)
Wilcox Diagram
250 750 2250C1 C2 C3 C4
S1
S2
S3
S4
AAB AAA
Legend
A FA
B Maseela
H MA
A Yunbuae
A YA
A SHA
A MATWI
A Mizrab
A Ein Aldes
A FA
Sodium (Alkali) hazard:
S1: Low
S2: Medium
S3: High
S4: Very high
Salinity hazard:
C1: Low
C2: Medium
C3: High
C4: Very high
Ghanem & Ahmad / Mor.J.Chem. 2 N° 5 (2014) 443-446                                                                    EDE4
 
446 
 
4. Conclusion 
The main objective of this Research is to determine the pollution level of these springs in reference to physical, 
chemical and biological parameters. The degrees of pollution of the spring water  resulting from flowing of the 
wastewater inside the Matwi catchment / Salfeet area. The water quality of these springs was studied through 
determination of the major and minor ion concentrations as well as the microbiological parameters. Their 
suitability for irrigation purposes and the anthropogenic pollution of these springs was evaluated and indicated 
that the spring water nearby the wastewater flow wadi is unsuitable for drinking and agricultural purposes. All 
analysed springs show FC and TC of thousands of colonies / 100 ml, which indicate of wastewater flow 
contaminations. One sampling campaigns was ended which represent the water samples before the renewable 
recharge to the springs.  
The Temperature shows a range between 21.8 – 25 °C with an average of 22.9 °C. The hydrochemical 
properties of all spring samples show a water type of Ca – Mg – HCO3, which agrees with the nature of the 
outcropping of these springs in Matwi Catchment of carbonate rocks. In some of them like the NO3, is due to 
the pollution of wastewater, especially the Matwi spring in the western side of the catchment of 66 mg/L which 
is above the WHO standards. The spring water samples are plotted using Piper diagram and all samples are 
falling in the earth alkaline water with prevailing bicarbonate and in the domain of Ca – Mg – HCO3, which 
frequently recharging water in limestone and dolomite aquifers of Durov diagram.The spring water samples are 
plotting in the Wilcox diagram, and show all samples falling within the field of S1,C2, which means that they 
are in the zones of medium salinity to low SAR, which is good for agriculture, with the exception of the Matwi 
Spring. 
      References
[1] ARIJ, Localizing agenda 21 in Palestine, Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem, Palestine (2007). 
[2] N. Mahmoud,  M.N Amarneh, R. Al-Sa'ed, G. Zeeman., Gijzen H. and G. Lettinga, Environmental 
Pollution., 126 (2003) 115-122 
[3]  ARIJ, Environmental Protection Of The Shared Israeli-Palestinian West Bank / Mountain Aquifer (1999).  
[4] M.Hill, CH2 Monitoring program for water and wastewater sampling and analysis for Palestinian Water 
Authority, West Bank Integrated Water Resources Management Plan (1999). 
[5] M. Frignani, L.G. Bellucci, Analytical Chemistry 94 (2004) 479–86. 
[6] R. Miroslav, Campus Modern Applied Science. Vol 2 No (4) (2008) 131-143. 
[7] S. AudrySchafer, J. G. Blanc and  J. Jouanneau, Environmental Pollution., 132 (2004) 413−426. 
[8]  H. Pekey,  Environmental Monitoring. Assessment., 123 (2006) 219-31. 
[9] World Bank, West Bank and Gaza, Assessment of Restrictions on Palestinian Water Sector Development, 
Main Report, Report No. 47657- GZ (2009). 
 
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