Wastewater reuse in Jordan: Present status and future plans

Wastewater in Jordan can be characterized as very strong with high salinity and insignificant heavy metals and toxic organic compounds. For the past two decades Jordan has relied on waste stabilization ponds (WSP) to treat wastewater for reuse in agriculture. This has exacerbated the salinity problem due to the high evaporation rates in such plants. Effluent from these plants are mixed with freshwater resources and stored before being used in agriculture in the Jordan Valley. Yield potential of most crops grown in the Jordan Valley lie between 50–80% if effluent alone is used for irrigation. The high chloride concentration may be detrimental to certain crops, especially beans and in case sprinkler irrigation is used. WSP are being replaced by conventional activated sludge and extended aeration plants, with the sites of the ponds being used as maturation ponds (MP). Nitrification and denitrification and in some cases phosphorous removal is and will be practiced. In some plants, sand filtration is planned either in lieu of MP or in addition to MP. Effluent quality of some of the newly operated plants is very high. In addition, the volume of treated wastewater will increase as a result of high population growth and increased sewered areas. These two factors provide opportunities for new water reuse applications. These include groundwater recharge, industrial cooling, and even municipal reuse.