4.3.

3 BP3: SOIL AQUIFER TREATMENT (SAT)-SHAFDAN PROJECT

4.3.3.1 Technical criteria

1. The treated wastewater through the SAT method is of potable quality.

2. The Shafdan project has been operational since the 1970’s.

3. The treated water quality is very high while simple in operation with a

low cost where cheap land is available.

4.3.3.2 Impact

1. The SAT unit at Shafdan has produced treated wastewater for reuse

and reduced the reliance on freshwater for irrigation in the Negev.

2. Part of the SAT process is groundwater storage in periods of low

water demand. The confined aquifer used in for the SAT is recharged

with treated wastewater.

3. Agriculture has been developed in the area due to the availability of

treated wastewater for reuse.

4.3.3.3 Technical Feasibility

1. The SAT in Shafdan has been operational for 40 years. It is a simple-to-

use system relying on infiltration basins into a confined aquifer for

wastewater treatment.

2. The basin system used in this SAT requires the least expertise in

operation compared to other SAT systems such as injection wells.

4.3.3.4 Financial feasibility

The overall water treatment cost for reuse is much lower in life cycle

perspective compared to intensive tertiary treatment systems. The

governmental tariff for Shafdan effluent is lower for water supply – 50% of

the fresh water supply rates (the lowest level is 0.99 NIS/m 3 or 0.25 US$/m 3 ).

4.3.3.5 Affordability

This practice doesn’t require special resources for operation beside proper
infiltration land because it is based on natural sand filtration. The problem

is that the process of the filtration takes a long time (300-400 days) and is

spread on vast areas. It is assumed that affordability is dependent on

governmental priorities to allocate such land areas.

4.4 DOCUMENTATION OF BEST PRACTICES

4.4.3 BP3: SOIL AQUIFER TREATMENT (SAT) - SHAFDAN PROJECT

4.4.3.1 Summary

The Shafdan recharge-reclamation process is based on intermittent flooding and drying of the
spreading basins and subsequent pumping of the reclaimed water from wells surrounding the
recharge area. The process is referred to as Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT). In the SAT process,
suspended solids, nitrogen and dissolved organic matter are removed by combined biological,
chemical, and physical processes mainly in the unsaturated zone. SAT is a good system for
wastewater treatment and reuse when land space is available and an excellent knowledge of the local
hydrogeology exists.

4.4.3.2 Narrative

Shafdan Wastewater Treatment Plants

Every year a total amount of about 120.5 million m 3 of secondary treated effluent is recharged in
the Shafdan infiltration basin. After period of 300-400 retention days the extra treated water is
pumped from the aquifer, in order to prevent it from mixing with drinking water. This water is
transferred to the west Negev for irrigation. Secondary effluent from the Shafdan plant is infiltrated in
fields in Rishon Letzion and Yavne. From these fields, the effluent is recharged into groundwater
reservoirs (aquifers) where it undergoes natural physical, biological and chemical processes that
improve its quality and storage ability.

Size and type

The Shafdan treatment plant serves the densely populated area of Tel-Aviv and has an annual flow of
135 million m 3 . The wastewater is primarily domestic in origin. The industrial part of the wastewater
is only 10% of the total flow. The average values of BOD5, COD and TSS are 360, 850 and 400
mg/L respectively. The sewer system collects wastewater from 250 square km area.

Types of crops irrigated and water quantity

The quality of the reclaimed water is very high almost as drinking water, making it suitable for all
types of crops irrigation like oranges, carrots, potatoes, lettuce, wheat, flowers and more.

Amount of wastewater that has been treated - Between 1974 and 2009, 2 billion m 3 of reclaimed
water were treated and supplied, with only 4% of the treated plant effluent being wasted to
the sea through Soreq stream. Challenges faced in implementing project and how they were
overcome and remaining challenges
The most common problem associated with recharging using a spreading basin is clogging of
the surface by fine-grain sediment suspended in the recharged water and/or by microbial
growth.

The basin infiltration rates as well as the performance of the whole SAT process depend
greatly on the operational conditions of the wastewater treatment plant and the effluent quality it
generates. When the infiltration rate of a basin is reduced, the flooding of the basin needs to be
stopped for as long as it takes to dry it completely. This is followed by ploughing the upper layer by
mechanical techniques, to let oxygen penetrate. During this process a large area of the basins
can't be used for flooding. This increases as long as the problem of poor quality effluent continues.
During this time the treated effluent cannot be recharged and large amounts of effluent flow to the
Soreq stream and thenearby sea. In Israel discharging water to a river requires a special permit and
high quality standards. This puts the Shafdan at environmental risk of lawsuits and public pressure.

Overview of main operational problems

Bio-fouling of effluent pipelines – before and after SAT

Deterioration in recharge capacity hydrophobicity (under research), low temp, rain.

Release and clogging of filtration systems by Mn and Fe oxides

Input and output wastewater quality

The SAT receives annual hydraulic loads of secondary effluent equivalent to 100

years of rain. Water quality before and after the recharge process is of great

concern. Every change in the quality of the water introduced to the basins might

plug the fields or cause problems downstream.

Principles of SAT process

Removal of suspended matter by Slow sand filtration.

Biodegradation of bacteria, viruses, parasites - die off during the

prolonged time, or by adsorption or absence of food.

Retention time in the aquifer: For unrestricted irrigation quality > 2

weeks, for accidental drinking water Quality > 3 months.

Chemical precipitation and Immobilization by Ion exchange of

Phosphate, DOC, Cu, UVabs (>70%).

Continues removal of nitrogen by Nitrification and Denitrification

Essential condition for the SAT process

Secondary effluent quality.

Sandstone aquifer, with minimum clay layer.

Intermittent flooding to dry the upper layer and recharge the aquifer

with oxygen.

Seasonal and multi annual water storage system.

Unsaturated layer – 10-30 meter.

Minimum clay layers in unsaturated layer (prevents clogging

problems, release of Manganese).

Saturated layer – 50-80 meter.

Creation of a low water level zone acts as a buffer zone (hydrological

depression).

Create a line of wells between the recharge basins and the coastal

line, to avoid water losses to the sea.