Continuous filtration to meet irrigation standards

The Katamiya Dunes wastewater treatment plant in Egypt needed to improve effluent water quality for irrigation of a local golf course and surrounding areas. Following a successful pilot project with a DynaSand filter, plant operators decided to install a tertiary treatment stage. The staged project involved an initial build of eight filters, with an additional four being added a few years later.

After completion, water quality improved significantly with total suspended solids (TSS), chemical and biological oxygen demand all greatly improved and within the required standards for irrigation.

“Irrigation water quality is very important and vital to keeping local amenities in good health. Our filtration solution has proven its abilities as well as ensuring process reliability and cost effectiveness.”

Mattias Feldthusen, Director Product Management, Water Treatment Solutions

The challenge
Many wastewater treatment plants need a tertiary process to remove organic suspended solids, nitrogen and phosphorus to improve water quality. However, additional space may be at a premium and any new process needs to be effective as well as low maintenance.

Water for irrigation needs to meet certain quality standards to ensure safe food production and to avoid contamination with high concentrations of nitrogen or phosphorus.

The solution
An initial pilot project determined the effectiveness and reliability of the DynaSand system. In this case, the installation of 12 freestanding DynaSand filters was the best solution, coupled with a MevaScreen fine screen at the inlet, a compressed air system to feed the DynaSand as well as an in-line alum dosing system just ahead of the filters with a PLC for control and monitoring.

Customer benefit
Sulzer’s solution delivered a low maintenance, continuous flow filter with a reduced footprint compared to conventional sand filters. Achieved benefits:

• Energy consumption approximately 20% less

• Ops/maintenance costs approximately 50% less

• Reliability approximately 80% better

• Following installation, the effluent water now meets all the

• required standards for irrigation in the local area.