Sustainable Water Conservation and Wastewater Reuse in a Palm Oil Mill: A Case Study in Southern Thailand

Abstract

Abstract The palm oil industry is one of the major agro-industries in Southern Thailand. It requires a large amount of water for its operation and discharges considerable quantities of wastewater. This creates a serious threat to the environment and sources of potable water. This study proposes recommendations for water conservation and reuse and improvement of wastewater treatment facilities to overcome these problems. In order to attain the highest reduction of all problems, waste minimization is introduced as the most effective solution. Changing behaviour in housekeeping can reduce water usage. An upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) process coupled with an activated sludge plant is recommended to upgrade the wastewater treatment system. For water reuse purposes, a rock bed filtration unit is recommended to treat effluent of the treatment plant. The overall water balance of the palm oil mill suggests that water reuse of 322 m3/d will reduce raw water consumption by 27.66% and achieve a 23% reduction in the water discharged to the river.