Risk management for wastewater use in agriculture – a jordan case study

Risk Monitoring and Assessment for

Wastewater Reuse in Agricultureg

By: Rana N. ArdahRoyal Scientific Society

Jordan

Jordan’s Water Situation

�Jordan is located in an arid to semi arid region,

�around 90% of the country's land receives an average

precipitation of less than 100 mm/ year,

�Around 85% of rain water evaporates yearly,

�One of the four poorest countries worldwide in water resources,

�Annual per capita share is around145 m3,

�Population growth rate is about 2.9%

Jordan’s Water Situation

�Sudden influx of refugees due to political instability in the

region,

�Increasing demand on the limited fresh water sources,

�Imbalance between the water demand and the available supply

of fresh water,

�Increasing generation of wastewater quantities.

Jordan’s Water Situation

As 64% of the total water budget is being allocated for irrigation,

the importance of reusing reclaimed domestic wastewater for

irrigation emerged, since such water is considered to be an

important, renewable and non-conventional water resource in

Jordan, specially that the number of wastewater treatment

plants belonging to the Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MWI)

reached around (27) serving most of the villages and cities.

Political/ Legal Aspects

Therefore and based on the previously mentioned facts, MWI

has updated the national water strategy for Jordan to control

Strategy

and manage the use of all water resources according to

environmental and public health regulations with a great

emphasis on encouraging the (direct and indirect) use of treated

wastewater as one major resource in agriculture.

Political/ Legal Aspects

Water Strategy 2008-2022:

On resource development/ Jordan Water Strategy 12, it is stated

Strategy

that:

“Wastewater shall not be managed as "waste". It shall be

collected and treated to standards that allow its reuse in

unrestricted agriculture ….”

Political/ Legal Aspects

Water Strategy 2008-2022:

“… Appropriate wastewater treatment technologies shall be

Strategy

adopted with due considerations to economizing energy

consumption, and quality assurance of the effluent to be used in

unrestricted agriculture. Consideration shall be given to blending

of the treated effluent with fresher water for appropriate reuse”.

Political/ Legal Aspects

Water Strategy 2008-2022:

On health standards/ Jordan Water Strategy 38:

Strategy

“Concerns for public health and the health of workers shall be a

focus in the programs of reuse of treated wastewater.

Political/ Legal Aspects

Jordanian Standard for Reclaimed Domestic WastewaterQuality No. (893/ 2006):

Thi t d d i d ith th lit i t th t

Standard

This standard is concerned with the quality requirements that

must be met in the reclaimed wastewater coming out of

treatment plants to be discharged to surface water or reused for

irrigation purposes.

Adaptation to Water Scarcity in theJordan Valley:

SWWTP

AMMAN

Irrigated with Freshwater

Irrigated with Blended WW

Irrigated with Brackish water

Adaptation to Water Scarcity in theJordan Valley:

�The use of treated wastewater for irrigation purposes in the

Jordan Valley is INDIRECT

The existing binding regulations

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�There is no Jordanian standard for irrigation water quality (only

JS No. 893/ 2006)

�FAO and WHO (1989) guidelines for irrigation water quality are

currently used

Adaptation to Water Scarcity in theJordan Valley:

�The need for a Jordanian standard for irrigation water quality

arose,

Alignment with 2006 WHO

� To pilot and strengthen adaptation capacity to water scarcity in

the Jordan Valley, WHO/ 2006 Guidelines for Wastewater Use in

agriculture had to be introduced,

Adaptation to Water Scarcity in theJordan Valley:

�In this regard, a multidisciplinary working group named the

"Steering Committee for the Risk Monitoring and Management

Steps to align with 2006 WHO

g g g

System for the Safe Use of Treated Wastewater"; was

formulated, where it relied on the WHO/ 2006 guidelines

throughout its work;

Adaptation to Water Scarcity in theJordan Valley:

�The committee worked in close cooperation with the German

International Agency (GIZ) on developing the final proposal of

Steps to align with 2006 WHO

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the "National Plan for Risk Monitoring and Management System

for the Use of Treated Wastewater in Irrigation for the Irrigated

Areas Upstream and Downstream of the King Talal Reservoir“;

The national plan was issued in November 2011.

Adaptation to Water Scarcity in theJordan Valley:

�The committee recommended to have a Jordanian standard

for irrigation water quality,

Steps to align with 2006 WHO

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�Accordingly, a Jordanian standard for irrigation water quality

was drafted by the committee and proposed to the Jordan

Standards and Metrology Organization (JSMO) so as to be

reviewed and issued properly

WHO/ 2006 Guidelines

The new guidelines present a flexible approach of risk

assessment and risk management that can be applied under

Brief Description of 2006 WHO

g pp

local socio-economic conditions accompanied with strict

monitoring programs in order to protect public health and

environment.

WHO/ 2006 Guidelines

WHO/ 2006 guidelines require 6 to 7 log-unit-reduction on

fecal coliforms counts (E. coli is an indicator) from the source of

The corner stone of 2006 WHO

( )

wastewater and right prior to crop consumption.

Comparison between the old and newWHO Guidelines

WHO Guidelines (2006)WHO Guidelines (1989)

E. coli threshold varies from 1000 to 100,000MPN/100 ml depending on the set health-basedtarget

E. coli ≤ 1000 MPN/ 100ml

Depend on a multiple-barriers approach

(Different Control Measures)

Depend on a single-barrier approach(Only Wastewater Treatment Plant)

Provide an integrated approach that combinesrisk assessment and risk management to controlwater-related diseases (Stockholm Framework)

Do not provide feasible risk-managementsolutions or guidance

Can be adopted according to the local socio-economic conditionsUnachievable under local circumstances

The available health protectionmeasures in Jordan

NotesPathogenreduction(log-unit)

Control measure

The required pathogen removal to be achievedby wastewater treatment depends on thecombination of health-protection control1−6Wastewater treatment

measures selected

Root crops and crops such as lettuce that growjust above, but partially in contact with, the soil.2Drip irrigation

(low-growing crops)

Crops, such as tomatoes, the harvested parts ofwhich are not in contact with the soil.4Drip irrigation

(high-growing crops)

Use of micro-sprinklers, anemometer-controlleddirection-switching sprinklers, inward-throwingsprinklers, etc.

1Spray/ sprinklerdrift control

The available health protectionmeasures in Jordan

NotesPathogenreduction(log-unit)

Control measure

Die-off on crop surfaces that occurs betweenlast irrigation and consumption. The log-unit-reduction achieved depends on climate

0.5−2per dayPathogen die-off

(temperature, sunlight intensity), crop type, etc.

Washing salad crops, vegetables and fruits withclean water.1Produce washing

with water

Washing salad crops, vegetables and fruits witha weak disinfectant solution and rinsing withclean water.

2Produce disinfection

Fruit, root crops.2Produce peeling

Immersion in boiling or close-to-boiling wateruntil the food is cooked ensures pathogendestruction.

5−6Produce cooking

Mixing Ratio Study

Based on the foregoing, the Jordan Valley Authority (JVA) has

contracted the Royal Scientific Society (RSS) to conduct a study in

order to examine the possibility of mixing the treated wastewater

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coming out of Irbid Wastewater Treatment Plant (Eff.) with the

freshwater coming out of Wadi Al-Arab Dam (W.A.) and using the

mixed water for irrigation purposes to suit the agricultural patterns

(restricted & unrestricted) in the irrigated region. Such a study was

conducted in September 2009.

Mixing Ratio Study

The study consisted of two parts;

�the first included the evaluation of the analyses results of the

blended water samples depending on the FAO and WHO/ 1989

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guidelines,

�While the second part depended on the concept of the safe

use of treated wastewater from the perspective of the WHO/

2006 guidelines.

Mixing Ratio Study

Results:

The mixing ratio of (Eff.: W.A. = 4:1) was recommended, where

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this figure would mean the use of relatively large amount of

treated wastewater compared to the quantity of fresh water of

the dam, and thus conserve fresh water and strengthen

adaptation capacity to water scarcity.

Mixing Ratio Study

Recommendations:

� Subjecting Irbid WWTP effluent for further processing (to

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minimize numbers of E. coli bacteria) prior to mixing it with

Wadi Al-Arab dam water and using the blended water for

irrigation purposes,

Mixing Ratio Study

Recommendations:

� Or, developing a risk assessment and management system

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for the safe use of treated wastewater in agriculture, in order to

protect health and environment, following the steps outlined in

the study and with reference to the WHO/ 2006 guidelines,

which are less stringent than the previous guidelines (WHO/

1989).

Th k YThank You