Enhancement of Wasted Backwash Water Using Basic Sand Filtration System

Abdel-Shafy, Hussein Ibrahim; Ibrahim, Amr M.; Mansour, Mona; El-Khateeb, Mohamed

doi:10.21608/ejchem.2025.331242.10686

Enhancement of Wasted Backwash Water Using Basic Sand Filtration System

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Water Research & Pollution Control Department, National Research Center, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt

² Department of Civil Engineering, The British University in Egypt, Elshorouk, Egypt

³ egyptian institute of petroleum research

⁴ Water Pollution Control Dep., National Research Center, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt

10.21608/ejchem.2025.331242.10686

Abstract

During the last stage of treatment in the drinking water treatment plants, backwashing the sand filter effluent consumes roughly 15 to 20% of the treated drinking water. This backwashing water (BWW) is finally discharged as useless wastewater. The present study subjected BWW to a soil infiltration system as an aquifer treatment. The infiltration depths of the renovated water were studied by collecting samples at different depths from the in-filtered water. The results showed that the employed sandy soil in the present study efficiently renovated BWW. The depth should be 300 cm or deeper for an efficient renovation process. The characteristics of the in-filtered water, depth, and the type of soil employed represent important factors in terms of water renovation. It was recommended; then; to employ the suggested renovation system for treatment of the discharged BWW. The effectiveness and affordability of the sand infiltration system as a technique for BWW treatment have been demonstrated. It was; then; recommended that the BWW should not be discharged as wasted water, but should be considered as additional source to be treated along with the Canal water as an additional water resource. It was; then; recommended to treat the BWW; accordingly; instead of discharging to any water ways. Consequently; we should avoid the discharge of BWW to waterways as wastewater.

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