Integrated Wastewater Management Policies & Technologies For Marginal Communities In Jordan

 

 

Selection Criteria of the Treatment Technology

In order to enhance understanding the issues related to the appropriate treatment processes and techniques that are already tested and practiced in small communities of similar environment, a literature survey was conducted that included studying many of the low-cost and technologically-sound treatment alternatives that are/were used on small scale as on-site or decentralized treatment systems, taking into consideration the potentials of reusing reclaimed water. The treatment options taken into account are:

 

1.        Septic Tank.

2.        Intermittent Sand Filters.

3.        Wetlands.

4.        Sequencing Batch Reactor.

5.        Up-Flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket.

6.        Confined Trench

 

 

 

In order to evlaute each of the treatment options that are mentioned above, certain selection criteria were set taking into consideration greywater qaulity and quantity, community requirements, local regulations, and the receiving environment as shown below.

 

·        Source Characteristics

a.      Greywater pollutants

-         Type (BOD, COD, TSS. FOG, E.coli).

-         Concentrations.

b.      Greywater flow projection

-         Daily, minimum and maximum flow.

-         Temporal variations.

c.       Potential for reuse

 

·        Community requirements

d.      Location, aesthetics and land requirements.

e.       Operation and maintenance.

f.        Total and annual costs.

g.      Odors.

 

·        Local Regulations

h.      Treatment requirements and effluent specifications.

 

·        Receiving Environment

i.        Topography.

j.        Soil type.

k.      Crop type.

l.        Climatic conditions (temperature and net evaporation).

m.    Materials.

 

Taking into consideration the data collected throughout project activities, the following design criteria were agreed upon among the expert group:

 

·        BOD5 = 1000 mg/l.

·        TSS = 750 mg/l.

·        Greywater generation rate = 200 L/Family/Day.

·        Reclaimed water is to be reused for restricted irrigation.

 

An evaluation matrix was developed by the group to assess different treatment alternatives as shown in Table below. The experts were in favor of utilizing one ore more of the following treatment options, taking into account the social-economical characteristics of the study area and the feedback from the LSC representative:

 

·        Up Flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket.

·        Intermittent Sand Filters.

·        Confined Trench.

 

 

Selection matrix of the greywater treatment system.

Type of System

Source Characteristics

Community Requirements

Effective-ness in Handling High Organic Loads (Yes/No)

Effectiveness in Removing BOD, TSS, FOG, N, and Pathogens (%)

The Ability to Operate Under Variable Flow Patterns, Shock Loads (Yes/No)

Land Requirement    (m2)

The Production of Odors (yes/No)

Maintenance Requirement (Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly)

Operation Requirements, is it User Friendly  System? (Yes/No)

Construction Costs

(JD)

Operation Costs

(JD)

Septic Tank

Yes

BOD: 35%

TSS: 40%

Yes

3 m3

Yes, ventilation is required

Yearly  desludging

No operation requirements

400 JD (plastic tank, fittings, excavation)

20JD/year (For Desludging)

Intermittent Sand Filter (preceded by septic tank )

No

BOD: 90%

TSS: 80%

Yes

5 m2

Yes if open filter

Monthly

Yes, but needs operational requirements for laterals, sprinklers, backwashing

--

--

Wetland

No

BOD: 40%

TSS: 44%

N: 33%

Pathogens: 71%

Yes, need stabilization tank

25 m2 /2m3

1-2 m2/200L

No

Monthly Harvesting

No operation requirement; but is still not user friendly

120 JD/m2

20 JD/ month

( harvesting) +

200 JD Zeolite

replacement

Sequencing Batch Reactor

Yes

BOD: 85%

TSS: 85%

No Nitrogen removal

No, need stabilization tank

1 m2

No

Monthly

Yes, Power supply, daily desludging

>1000 JD

(Air Blowers, diffusers, and Pneumatic valves)

Power, sludge disposal

Up Flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket

Yes

COD: 75-90%

Yes

Reactor of (350 L capacity, with height of 2m)

No

Desludging every 2 years (100L/year)

No operation requirement, user friendly

300 JD

Zero

 

 

Selection matrix of the greywater treatment system (Cont).

Type of System

Reuse Opportunity & Local Regulations

Receiving Environment

The Effluent Quality Meets the Jordanian Specification (893/2002) for Restricted Irrigation (Yes/No)

Losses (Evaporation, Evapotranspiration) (High/Low)

The Need for Specific Environmental Conditions (Temperature, topography) (Yes/No)

The Availability of Construction Materials/ Treatment Media in the Study Area (Yes/No)

Septic Tank

No

Low

Temp> 15oC

Yes

Intermittent Sand Filter (preceded by septic tank )

Yes

Moderate

No

Yes

Wetland

Yes,but depends on surface area of wetland

High

No

Yes

Sequencing Batch Reactor

Yes except for Nitrogen and COD

Low

Topography: SBR has to be mounted above ground surface to facilitate desludging

No

Up Flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket

Yes

Low

Optimum Temperature is 35 oC.

Isolation is recommended.

Yes

 

 

 

 

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