The impact of the depollution project on the environmental condition of the Salé coastline

The city of Salé, situated along Morocco’s Atlantic coast, faces severe pollution due to human activities. Significant discharges of solid and liquid waste have resulted in contamination along its coastline, affecting water used for swimming, fishing, and irrigation. This has raised concerns about the quality of life for residents and the sustainability of local natural resources. This study evaluates the impact of the depollution project, part of the Bouregreg Valley development, on the physicochemical and bacteriological quality of Salé’s coastal waters. Monitoring was conducted at three stations to assess the spatiotemporal evolution of water quality, focusing on indicators of fecal contamination (fecal coliforms – FC, fecal streptococci – FS). The results show a notable improvement in the physicochemical quality of the waters. However, bacteriologically, the waters remain highly polluted and unsafe for swimming, with pollution primarily of human origin (CF/SF > 4).