GROWING POPULATION AND WATER SUPPLY IN THE JEFARA PLAIN (LIBYA)

Water is a vital resource, necessary for all aspects of life. It is estimated that over one billion people on earth do not have access to clean water supply. This paper reviews current and future water situations in the Jefara plain, which is located in the north-west of Libya. The main aim is to introduce some proposals to balance between the population growth and freshwater needs in the plain during the next 40 years. Before the arrival of water from the Great Man-made River (GMR), phase-II, to the region, groundwater was the main source of water to both agricultural and municipal consumptions. Five different scenarios have been discussed about the conjunctive use of groundwater and GMR sources plus the introduction of other sources such as Desalinated Water (DW) and Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) for municipal and agricultural consumptions respectively. Results from these scenarios show that the ongoing groundwater deterioration, in terms of quantity and quality, could be reduced by using a sustainable abstraction program.