What is it about?
Hydrogeology and surface water quality are typical for RBF sites along the River Nile at Cairo. The aquifer is more than 60 m thick and has a hydraulic conductivity of 6 × 10−4 m/s. The Nile River is cutting through the upper clay cap that covers the aquifer and is hydraulically connected with the aquifer. Piezometric heads indicate a natural recharge of the aquifer by river water. Thus, the site seems to have high potential for water production. Water quality of the Nile River is feasible for natural treatment via RBF, TOC is < 5.5 mg/l, and NH4+ is < 0.5 mg/l. Major challenges in Embaba site arise from frequent riverbed clogging in front of the site as well as the appearance of Fe, Mn and NH4+ in the produced bank filtrate with values slightly exceeding the Egyptian drinking water standards.
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Why is it important?
It depicts an example for low cost production of drinking water. RBF is green technology for drinking water production of low waste and high water quality. It has challenges such as the clogging of the riverbed and appearance of iron and manganese in the produced water. This an important case under an arid condition and severe water demand.
Perspectives
Writing this article was a great pleasure as it has co-authors with whom I have had long standing collaborations. This article also lead to new perspectives towards drinking water supply in my country.
Kamal Ghodeif
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Riverbank filtration in Cairo, Egypt—part I: installation of a new riverbank filtration site and first monitoring results, Environmental Earth Sciences, April 2018, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/s12665-018-7450-2.
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