An Applied Study on the Efficiency of Drinking Water Well Purification Plants in Selected Neighborhoods of Sebha City

Abstract

his applied study aims to evaluate the efficiency of three groundwater purification stations using reverse osmosis (RO) technology in certain high-density residential areas in the city of Sabha during May 2026. The study involved collecting six samples: the first three from untreated well water, and the other three from the produced water supplied to consumers from the purification stations in the aforementioned areas. Eleven physicochemical parameters were measured (pH, EC, TDS, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, HCO₃⁻, NO₃⁻), in addition to microbiological examination. The analysis results of the raw water prior to treatment revealed severe quality degradation, as the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in the (Sukrah) district exceeded 3065 mg/L. Furthermore, sodium and chloride concentrations exceeded the permissible limits according to Libyan standard specifications across all study samples. The microbiological examination results also indicated bacterial contamination with total coliforms resulting from sewage water seepage. Conversely, after treatment, the stations achieved superior purification efficiency in salt removal, ranging between 97.20% and 98.33%, and a 100% biological disinfection efficiency. However, this high efficiency in salt removal led to a sharp drop in pH, shifting towards acidity (5.53 – 5.87). It also caused salinity to drop below 100 mg/L, rendering the water deficient in essential minerals required for the human body. Therefore, the study recommended mandating the stations to implement smart blending or remineralization techniques, activating periodic monitoring, and establishing modern, integrated sewage networks.