A Study in the Contamination of Desalinated Water with Microorganisms, and Analysis of Chemical and Physical in Western Libya

Monitoring the changes that occur to water during distribution is vital to ensure water safety. The biological stability of reverse osmosis (RO) produced drinking water, characterized by low cell concentration and low assailable organic carbon, in combination with chlorine disinfection was investigated. Water quality at several locations throughout the existing distribution network was monitored to investigate whether microbial water quality changes can be identified. Libya is located in an arid and semi-arid region of Africa with no permanent rivers or true freshwater lakes and average annual rainfall of less than 100 mm. Limited access to surface water resources has led to a heavy reliance on groundwater. Extensive use of conventional water resources such as groundwater, poor awareness of how to optimally use and save water, and seawater intrusion into coastal aquifers have all contributed to a severe water crisis in Libya. The water crisis issues in Libya are exacerbated by the population distribution relative to available water resources. 75% of Libya’s population is concentrated in only 1.5% of the total land area in the western coastal centers of Jufra and Misrata, and the eastern coastal area of ​​Jebel Akhdar. The results from this study highlight the importance of implementing multiple barriers to ensure water safety. Changes in water quality detected even when high-quality disinfected reverse osmosis (RO) -produced water is distributed highlight microbiological challenges that chlorinated systems endure, especially at high water temperatures. The aim of this paper is to shed light on the conventional and non-conventional water resources in Libya. In this context, the research aims to provide an overview of seawater desalination technology in Libya and why desalination should be embraced as a strategic and ultimate solution to the water shortage problem. In addition to the bacterial contamination of desalinated water in western Libya. This study was investigated the quality of drinking water supplied in Some Commercial Water Purification Systems at Sabratha area. Water samples were collected from five stations at Sabratha region. The physicochemical parameters were mainly, pH, Alkalinity, Chloride, Nitrate, Sulfate, Magnesium, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium and TDS. The result shows that all these parameters were fall below WHO guidelines, except pH. The bacteriological result revealed that one of the studied stations was contaminated by E. coli bacteria.