The reclamation of municipal effluent for irrigation by a pilot-scale advanced treatment plant

Abstract

This study concerns about the reclamation of municipal effluent for agricultural irrigation by the application of a pilot-scale advanced treatment plant capable of rapid sand filter and disinfection. The rapid sand filter significantly reduced suspended solids and turbidity. Average reductions in these parameters 76 and 62%, respectively, were achieved. The percentage removals of chemical oxygen demand and biological oxygen demand by the rapid sand filter were 32 and 55%, respectively. The amounts of heavy metals in the rapid sand filter effluent were below the national and international standards. The pilot-scale advanced treatment plant eliminated almost the 100% of fecal coliforms. Hence, the treatment costs of the pilotscale advanced treatment plant were calculated approximately US $0.063/m(3). These results showed that the pilot-scale advanced treatment plant provided a low-cost water source which can be used for agricultural irrigation.