Monitoring Large Scale Wastewater Reclamation Systems – Policy and Experience

Abstract

The two largest wastewater reclamation systems in Israel are monitored for both quality and operational parameters by a group of experts from the Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Center at the Technion in cooperation with Mekorot - Water Company for Israel. The Greater Haifa wastewater reclamation project is monitored now for the eighth year successively and the Greater Tel Aviv reclamation complex for the second year. Our experience indicates that the establishment of a comprehensive monitoring program for such systems is essential for the successful operation of the reclamation projects. However, periodic fundamental reviews of the monitoring program are necessary in order to improve and update its components. The basic trend of the two monitoring programs was to reduce to a great extent the number of both sampling points and parameters tested, while increasing specific research studies concerning particular problems that arose during the regular monitoring procedure.