View Technical Program - Levant Desalination Association

ASR : A VIABLE OPTION
Bassem Halabi
Group Business Development Director – Metito Overseas Ltd. – UAE
REF # IDA_DM2010-Halabi
ABSTRACT
Water is an essential element for sustaining life, and history offers us examples of
some of the greatest civilizations that existed on the banks of well known rivers
throughout the world. Unfortunately, the availability of natural renewable water
resources is gradually diminishing against a global increase in the demand for this
commodity. The reduction in the available resources can be attributed to two factors:
growing populations and mismanagement of water use. Apart from few countries in
the world that are blessed with abundant natural water resources, many countries
have no option but to enhance their available water sources. Whilst sea water
desalination can offer a viable solution for countries that have coast lines like the GCC
and North Africa, countries that do not have access to sea water will have no option
but to improve their management of existing water resources, and to augment them
by increasing the use of treated waste water.
Current water reuse technologies have made it possible to treat waste water to
a degree of purity that is suitable for direct human consumption. However, there
remains a psychological barrier that prevents people from using this treated water.
The need for fresh water in certain countries necessitates breaking down this barrier
as there are hardly any other available options. Whilst it may be easier to overcome
the psychological barrier in countries like Singapore, the solution may not be as easy
in other countries. One option that has proven itself over the past decades is the
Aquifer Storage and Recovery System or ASR. ASR is a process whereby treated waste
water is reinjected into the aquifer to undergo further natural purification prior to its
recovery for final potable reuse.
In this combined scheme, waste water undergoes extensive biological treatment
followed by tertiary treatment before ending up with reverse osmosis and
disinfection for complete purification. At this stage, water will be suitable for potable
uses, but, for one reason or another, may not gain public acceptance. This problem
may be overcome by artificial injection of this water into a soil aquifer system. The
injection process, in addition to its aesthetic feature, enhances further treatment of
the injected water through a natural process within the soil layers.
In addition to breaking the psychological barrier, aquifer recharge has several other
advantages:
Water Reuse and Desalination: Experience and Opportunity
TECHNICAL PROGRAM 35