Page 170 - AJWEP-v22i3

Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution. Vol. 22, No. 3 (2025), pp. 164-184.
doi: 10.36922/AJWEP025120085

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Sustainable wastewater management and risk assessment
in Maghnia

Chachoua Mounira* Chachoua Mounira*
{https://orcid. Department of Hydraulics, Institute of Science and Technology, University Center of Maghnia, Maghnia, Algeria
org/0000-0002-2734-807X} *Corresponding author: Chachoua Mounira (mounira_hydraulique@yahoo.fr)

Received: March 23, 2025; 1st revised: March 28, 2025; 2nd revised: April 17, 2025; 3rd revised: May 9, 2025;
4th revised: May 14, 2025; Accepted: May 15, 2025; Published online: June 17, 2025

Abstract: Located 40 km west of the wilaya of Tlemcen, the Algerian municipality of Maghnia is currently
experiencing a severe water shortage that has affected all economic sectors, particularly agriculture. Given that
Maghnia is a predominantly agricultural region with 250 hectares of irrigated land, maintaining agricultural
productivity under such conditions poses significant challenges. One of the most viable and cost-effective strategies
to address this issue is the reuse of non-conventional water sources, specifically the recycling of wastewater treated
at the Lagfafe wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Situated 5 km northwest of the town, the Maghnia WWTP
operates using an intensive activated sludge process. This study aims to assess whether the quality of the treated
effluent complies with Algerian standards for agricultural reuse. Throughout 2020, wastewater samples were
collected and analyzed four times per month at both the inlet and outlet of the treatment plant. The physicochemical
parameters examined included temperature, chemical oxygen demand, ortho-phosphates, electrical conductivity,
nitrites, nitrates, ammoniacal nitrogen, water potential, dissolved oxygen, suspended solids, and biological
oxygen demand. The analytical results indicate that the treated wastewater meets national regulatory standards for
agricultural reuse across all evaluated parameters. Consequently, this substantial volume of treated water can be
safely used for irrigation, offering a sustainable solution to mitigate the ongoing water crisis affecting the region’s
agricultural sector.
Keywords: Water scarcity; Non-conventional water reuse; Sustainable agriculture; Wastewater treatment;
Environmental safety; Maghnia; Algeria

1. Introduction is a global concern, African countries are particularly
vulnerable to its effects.
Water is essential for all aspects of human life. The This alarming situation is illustrated by unprecedented
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global water crisis, which continues to worsen, is droughts affecting rivers and the accelerated melting
driven by several interrelated factors: rapid population of glaciers, which compromise water availability for
growth, excessive water consumption, degradation populations, agriculture, and ecosystems. Over the past
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of surface and groundwater quality, the impacts of century, global freshwater use has increased sixfold, with
climate change, and decreasing precipitation levels. a 1% annual growth rate since the 1980s. According
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As a result, this vital resource is becoming increasingly to the World Health Organization (WHO) (2023), over
scarce and difficult to manage. While water scarcity two billion people experienced water stress in 2021 – a

Volume 22 Issue 3 (2025) 164 doi: 10.36922/AJWEP025120085