IPN-ISRAEL WATER WEEK (I2W2) Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. IPN-ISRAEL WATER WEEK (I2W2) Jacobo Sack IPN representation in Israel Adin Holdings Ltd. Sept. 2014

Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. The scarcity of water in many regions of the world is bringing more and more the attention to the potential that exists in the use of wastewater treated effluent for increasing the water potential available in arid and semi-arid areas

Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. Wastewater treated effluent is 99.7-99.9% water The available amount of water effluent is more or less constant along the year.

Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. Effluent disposal Water effluent reuse is a very good solution for water effluent disposal In areas with water scarcity problems In areas with plenty of water but have problems with the disposal of sewage effluent.

Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. Israel as an example about 75% of the effluent produced in the country is being used for irrigation purposes about 20% of the total yearly use of water in the country 50% of the water used yearly for agricultural purposes. more than 60 years of effluent use for agricultural purposes in Israel. Development procedures, standards, guidelines, regulations practices and supervision to protect health and environment from negative impacts

Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. Every reuse project has an impact on the environment. slight to significant short or long term local, national, regional or global level (or a combination thereof) Sewage effluent reuse might affect human health. When designing a treatment plant, these potential impacts have to be addressed

Change in wastewater treatment technology Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. Change in wastewater treatment technology from biological active ponds (almost no external energy) to mechanical activated biological reactors (high energy consuming processes) Biological active ponds: minimum amount of manpower and low technological level. "activated sludge” construction of concrete basins the use of big motors and machinery sophisticated software control and electrical systems. Mechanical plants: specialized, high tech manpower level

Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. The effluent quality obtained by the mechanical activated biological reactors systems is quite “better” than the effluent quality obtained by biological active ponds Paradoxically, a better effluent quality results in a smaller concentration of organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorous and other beneficial elements for crops.

Treatment plants design today Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. Treatment plants design today No consideration of the benefits of a lower effluent quality- supply to the food chain of crops

Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. The natural inclination of the wastewater treatment plants engineers, is to design the most advanced and sophisticated treatment plant that can be designed within the allotted budget, resulting in the design of mechanical reactors with high energy demand and a demand of high level engineers and technicians to operate and maintain them. Part of this trend (designing sophisticated wastewater treatment plants) is due to the regulatory constraints.

Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. In many instances: There is no budget for the energy required The technical manpower of the level required is not available. (Especially in relatively small towns located in remote areas). Or, There is no budget for the energy and there is no technical manpower available with the required level.

Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. standard design of wastewater treatment plants is not always the best approach to waste water treatment plant design Consequences of an inadequate treatment plant design may be: untreated or partially treated effluent may flow to the surrounding of the treatment plant causing environmental contamination problems inefficiency in achieving the best results for the intended reuse of the water.

Making Water Reform happen in Mexico OECD Studies on Water 2013 Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. Making Water Reform happen in Mexico OECD Studies on Water 2013

Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. Mexico has the opportunity to invent its own model for water governance Mexico needs to bring more flexibility into its water policies to ensure that the policies can meet future challenges. Mexico needs to pay more attention to the cost-effectiveness of water-related public spending and investment decisions.

Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. A wastewater treatment proposal for the sewage of the city of Mexico might be a good example of how unorthodox and simple thinking might establish wastewater treated effluent quality aims, different from the regulatory demands but that are practical, viable and with an enormous positive cost benefit ratio.

Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. Another example: Design and construction of wastewater treatment lagoons in “La Solana” and 25 other communities in Spain.

Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. Conclusion Considerations to be looked into when designing a new wastewater treatment plant: Optimal effluent quality required for the purpose of the intended water reuse The environmental effects that such quality effluent will have on water bodies (rivers, lakes, aquifers, etc) The impact that such quality effluent would have on human beings' health among the population exposed to the effects of the effluent reuse. The technological and economic capabilities of the wastewater treatment plant owner

Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. All these consideration combined will determine the "minimum" water effluent quality to be achieved by the wastewater treatment plant. Such an approach will probably result in the design of simple pond treatment plants in many small towns in rural areas

Wastewater effluent reuse focus for designing wastewater treatment plants. Thank you