Wastewater treatment by land disposal on sandy grounds

Abstract

Wastewater disposal on land can be considered as "appropriate" wastewater treatment technology for many less developed and developing countries. The main advantages of .this technique are the low initial and maintenance costs involved, the effective reduction of the organic load as well as the removal of bacteriological pollution, reuse of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus present in the was,tewater through retention by soil and the increase of the productivity of the soil. Treatment of wastewater by land application has not been practised so far in Turkey. The present study was conducted to investigate the applicability of this method in our country and to predict the results. For this purpose, a 25 meter long channel was constructed and after it was filled with sand, domestic wastewater was applied. The variation of the wastewater and soil characteristics with time and distance were investigated through out the application period. Removal efficiencies obtained are given below: Chemical oxygen demand (COD) 74-84 % - Nitrogen (N) 65-75 Z - Phosphorus (P) 73-92 % - Turbidity 75-80 Z - Total coliform 77.5-82.5 % These results are in full agreement with the results of similar studies conducted elsewhere. The conclusion of the present study is that land disposal on sandy grounds is a method which can be used effectively in many parts of Turkey.