Evaluation of the Khirbt Al-miza Plant and the Possibility for Using its Treated Water for Irrigation Purposes

Water samples were collected from the input and outpot of the Khirbt Al-miza plant in Tartous governorate (Syria) from 18/4/2018 to 25/3/2019 in order to assess its quality and the possibility of using it in irrigation works. Physical, chemical and biological tests were carried out in the context of searching for alternative sources of natural water The results showed that the turbidity value at the input was higher than their values at the outpot, and the temperature and pH values were close at the input and output and within the normal limits, while the electrical conductivity values in the output water ranged within the range(714-1014 μs/cm) and in the input water (600-1268 μs/ cm), while the DO values were higher in the output water than in the input water, and the station showed effective in reducing the values of TSS from (132-3.6mg/Ll) in the input water to (19.4-0.6mg/L) in the output water. COD within the range (36 - 2 mg/l), and ammonia concentrations in the output water ranged their values within the range (5.40 - 0.24 mg/l), after excluding the abnormal value, while the values of nitrate concentrations in the output water ranged within the range (10 - 149 mg/l). While the nitrate values in the input water ranged within the range (16.2 - 6.2 mg/l), while the values of phosphate concentrations in the station’s output water ranged within the range (34.2 - 3.5 mg/l) and the values in the input water ranged within the range (142.2 –0.5 mg/l), and the log changes of the number of faecal bacilli in the water entering and exiting the Khirbt Al-miza station were studied, The results showed a decrease in the values of this indicator in the output water compared to its values in the income water. However, the decrease was not sufficient as the values of the number of faecal bacilli in the output water ranged within the range (3x106 - 6x102). nFC/100ml. The results of analyzes of the output water of the treatment plant were compared with the Syrian standard specification for treated water used for irrigation purposes 27522008/. It was found that the quality of the treated water is within the permissible limits for different irrigation purposes according to the indicators of COD, BOD5, TSS, but it is not suitable for irrigation purposes in Most of the time, according to the indicators of nitrate, phosphate and bacterial indicator, and to use treated water for irrigation purposes, the concentrations of nitrate and phosphate must be reduced, and this can be done either by adding additional units to the treatment plant or by extending the treated wastewater with farm water by approximately 50%.