This document discusses wastewater treatment and reuse in Alexandria, Egypt. It presents information on wastewater production rates and treatment plant capacities. Key drainage systems and disposal points are identified. Standards for treated wastewater reuse are provided for different treatment levels and crop types. Current and proposed areas for effluent reuse are shown, including forestation and agriculture. The sludge treatment process using windrow composting is described. Pathogen and heavy metal reductions are achieved, producing high quality compost.

1. Presented by
Dr. Helalley Abdel Hady Helalley
Chief of Industrial wastewater, Sludge and Reuse sector.
Alexandria Sanitary Drainage Company.
Alexandria Sanitary Drainage Company
Industrial Wastewater, Sludge and Reuse Sector

3. Is the optimum use of Alexandria treated effluent
through appropriate technologies and the best
management practices to achieve best outcomes in
terms of environmental basis and public health .

4. The provision of sewage treatment in Alexandria has resulted
in the production of substantial quantities of effluent and sludge.
In an arid country such as Egypt, these materials should be
regarded as valuable resources for agricultural irrigation and soil
fertilization, particularly as water resources are strictly limited
and there is an urgent need for continued horizontal expansion
of agriculture into the desert areas as the population increases.

5. 0
500000
1000000
1500000
2000000
2500000
3000000
2006 2012 2017 2022 2027 2032 2037
Year
Wastwaterdailyrate
Produced
S.T.P capacity
Wastewater production and STP’s capacity (Master plan 2037)

7. Quala Drain
92,358
East Treatment Plant
607,000
432,236
Sea Locks
82,200
Semouha Drain
19,152
Gonet Zohra
Drain
131,616
Evapotranspiration
169,344
West Treatment
Plant
410,325
El-Mex Pumping
Station
7,993,945
QUALA
915,790
Omoum Drain
4,200,000
Nubaria Canal
2,530,000
Underground water
24,974
Amlak Drain
65,664
Lake
Mayout
The Main drains in Alexandria are:
• El Qalaa which receives the effluent of ETP.
• West Noubaria and El Omoum drain dispose into the Mediterranean through Lake Maryout.
receives pollution
loads from rural areas
Final Disposal points of Alexandria wastewater

10. Factors that are relevant for the
feasibility of treated wastewater reuse
for forestation will largely depend on:

11. Type of treatment and of industrial pollutants
The reuse potential obviously will depend on the quality of the
wastewater. This depends on the type of treatment of domestic
wastewater and, especially, on the industrial pollutants and their
removal during the on-site treatment process.

12. Availability of suitable areas for forestation
To find suitable areas for forestation around the New
Industrial Cities in the desert does not seem to be a
problem

13. Irrigation methods and soil types
The most suitable irrigation method for reuse of treated
wastewater is drip irrigation because irrigation efficiency is high,
labor requirement is low, and contact between farm workers and
effluent is minimal. However, high quality effluent is required to
prevent clogging of the emitters. Sprinkler irrigation is not
suitable because it will expose workers to pollutants and may
result in severe damage to the leaves of the plants and
significant yield loss.

14. Environmental impacts
As part of the strategy, site-specific feasibility studies should be
carried out to determine the potential and options for reuse of
treated wastewater. As part of these studies an environmental
impact assessment will be made, with special emphasis on the
risks of groundwater pollution.

15. Third Group Advanced
Second Group
Secondary
First Group
Preliminary
Unit
Degree of
Treatment/Standards
Metal
0.010.010.06Part per millionCadmium
5510Part per millionLead
0.20.2UndeterminedPart per millionCopper
0.20.20.5Part per millionNickel
22UndeterminedPart per millionZinc
0.1UndeterminedUndeterminedPart per millionArsenic
0.1UndeterminedUndeterminedPart per millionChrome
0.20.2UndeterminedPart per millionMolybolenum (green fodder only)
0.20.20.2Part per millionManganese
55UndeterminedPart per millionIron
0.050.05UndeterminedPart per millionCobalt
Maximum Standards Permitted for Reusing Treated Sanitary Drainage Water
& Degree of Treatment
contd…..
 Dr. Sama MZ
Presented by Dr. H.A.Helaly

16. Proposed Kind of
Soils
Suitable
Irrigation
Methods
Environmental & Health
Precautions
Plants
Degree of
Treatment
Group
Light texture
authorized for use in
desert land 5 km away
from dwelling
communities while
complying with
periodical assessment
of the environment
Furrow
Fencing farms
No direct contact with water
and entrance of farm workers
only
Prohibit from entering farms
Take health measures required
for the protection from
infection with pathogenic
organisms and treatments
Trees for TimberPrimary
First
Light medium texture
Furrow &
sprinkling
Cattle not yielding milk, and
producing met could be used
Food should be cooked prior to
eating
Palm trees, cotton, flax, linen, jute
Fodder crops & dried cereals
Husky fruits & crops
Cooking vegetables
Heat processed fruits
Flower nurseries
Raw edible plants
Husky plants
SecondarySecond
All kinds for soil
All
methods
except
spraying
None
All kinds of horticulture crops
Fodder & green grasses
AdvancedThird
 Dr. Sama MZ
Presented by Dr. H.A.Helaly

17. In Alexandria, effluent from wastewater treatment systems could
be reused for urban landscaping, irrigation of many areas in each
district.
The direct reuse of treated wastewater into irrigation is preferable
in the following cases:
•Irrigation of green areas in resorts and golf playgrounds and similar
conditions.
•Green areas inside residence cordons in new cities.
•Irrigation of green belts all around the cities.
•Plantation of highways.
•Irrigation of desert lands to be reserved for agricultural investment and
specially irrigated with treated wastewater.
•The use of the treated waste water and of the sludge in
Forestation practices
Reuse options of Alexandria WWTPs effluent:

18. Site 9N forest

20. Current location of Alexandria effluent reuse from km 26 WTP.

21. Location of proposed reuse areas of Alexandria effluent
reuse

22.  Dr. Sama MZ
1st Conference for Modern Nano-Technology in Water and Waste Water projects (MNTW'2012), Cairo, Egypt. 15 September 2012
Cost Analysis of the proposed options

23. Proposal for reuse effluent of Hanoville, Amriya and Agamy WWTPs.

24. Borg Al-Arab WWTP: lie in a desert location and near to the West
Egyptian Desert and therefore, the effluent of the existing and the
new proposed wastewater treatment plants in this zone could be
reused for many purposes such as: irrigation of green belts all
around the zone, plantation of highways and irrigation of desert lands
that can be reserved for agricultural investment and specially
irrigated with treated wastewater,
Effluents form Borg Al –Arab WWTPs

26. Flow diagram of the Alexandria sludge
treatment system using windrow
composting

27. moisture adjustment Sludge unloading
Mixing and turning processEffective composting operation

28. High quality compost

29. Pathogens DS/MC
Count/100/ ml
DS/MC/G
Count/100 ml
Fecal Coliform Bacteria -ve -ve
Salmonella <2 <2
Ascaris ova -ve -ve
Table (3): Typical pathogens count after the composting and co-composting. .

30. Average of heavy metals content
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
Zn Cu Ni Cd Pb Cr
(mg/kg)
DS/MC DS/MC/G
Figures (6): The heavy metals content in the final composts from composting and co-composting.

32. 2nd International Conference and Exhibition
Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation. 27-29 February 2012