SEWAGE WATER QUALITY OF UNAYZAH WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND ITS SUITABILITY FOR IRRIGATION | ||||
Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering | ||||
Article 11, Volume 28, Issue 7, July 2003, Page 5861-5871 PDF (1.54 MB) | ||||
Document Type: Original Article | ||||
DOI: 10.21608/jssae.2003.252691 | ||||
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Author | ||||
A. I. AI-Turki, | ||||
Dept. of Plant Production and Protection, College of Agric. and Vet. Med., King Saud Univ., AI-Qasslm Branch, P. O. Box 1482, Burydah, Saudi Arabia | ||||
Abstract | ||||
The Suitability of the sewage effluent from Unayzah City (Central Region of Saudi Arabia) wastewater plant for irrigation purposes was assessed during three consecutive years (1999/2000. 2000/2001, and 200112002) by considering some of its biochemical, physiochemical and microbiological characteristics. Processing of the available data and thereafter comparing them with the locally and the internationally acceptable standards for unrestricted and restricted irrigation revealed that: 1) the expected yearly average volume of treated sewage effluent varied from 10.9X10s to 38.3X105 m3 which raises a high concern to' the authorities regarding its disposal. 2) The effluent under the study is unacceptable for irrigation reuse in respect to the following: a) The mean BOD (range 25-34 mgL'\ in spite of a relatively high BOD removal efficiency (range 83-87%), b) The mean COD level, which varied from 115 to 135 mgL", c) The mean alkalinity level (range 290 • 298 mgL'\ d) The mean total • suspended solid contents (range 42 • 135 rnql,"), 3) The mean electric conductivity (EC mmhose Cm-l) (range 1.65-1.85) and the mean pH value (7.3) of the effluent, however, are within the acceptable recommended quality limits for restricted irrigation. 4) The high fecal coliform count (ran~e 1.6X103• 1.2X104 MPN 100 rnt') and the high total coliform count (range 2.2X10 - 101X104 MPN 100 rnl") were evident thus indicating low efficiency of and incomplete microbial removal which renders the effluent unacceptable for restricted and unrestricted irrigation because of environmental and public health concern. | ||||
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