Challenges and Solutions: The Irrigation Trickling Tower Treatment – A Case Study in SEKEM Farm Belbies, Egypt

Abstract

Wastewater treatment plants play a critical role in reducing point source pollution in watersheds; however, in taking on the task of reducing micro-biological pollutant such as BOD and NH3-N, energy is consumed intensively, which can result in additional greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and operating and maintenance costs. In this study, an efficient, sustainable and simple low-cost wastewater treatment technology is developed and validated as a good solution to achieve a balance between treating domestic wastewater with low O&M costs and saving additional irrigation water for rural communities. A low-cost irrigation technology using “trickling treatment tower with biofilm reactor” for wastewater treatment (ITTT) proved to be efficient and suitable for small rural communities. Many challenges were tackled and resolved during the study. The efficiency of the examined ITTT system in Sekem Farm Belbies reaches up to 95%. It is sustainable and environmentally friendly for treating domestic wastewater and agricultural drainage water. The effluent treated water is good for irrigation non-fruitful trees. The long-term impacts of soil, groundwater and socio-economic aspects should be studied.