ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS HASBAIYA MUNICIPALITIES CAZA OF HASBAIYA Prepared by EARTH LINK AND ADVANCED RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT (ELARD) Submitted to: MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT (MOE) September 2004 Environmental Impact Assessment ELARD TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................................................................................... II LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................................................. VIII LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................................................................X LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS ....................................................................................................................................................XI LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS ....................................................................................................................................................XI LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS..............................................................................................................................................XIII LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS..............................................................................................................................................XIII NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................................XVI INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... XVI LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS ........................................................................... XVI PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT........................................................................................................... XVI DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT .............................................................................................. XVII DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT .....................................................................................XIX IMPACT ASSESSMENT .............................................................................................................XX ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN .................................................................................XX 1. INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................................................1 1.1. THE OVERALL CONTEXT ................................................................................................ 1 1.2. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE ..................................................................................... 1 1.3. THE PROJECT .................................................................................................................. 6 1.4. THE PROJECT LOCATION................................................................................................. 6 1.5. THE STUDY AND THE EIA REPORT ................................................................................. 8 2. LEGISLATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS .................................................................................9 2.1. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK............................................................................................. 9 2.2. INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ....................................................................................... 13 3. BACKGROUND INFORMATION..........................................................................................................................14 3.1. PROJECTS INITIATION ................................................................................................... 14 3.2. IMPORTANCE OF THE PROJECT ...................................................................................... 15 Wastewater Treatment Plants – Hasbaiya Caza ii Environmental Impact Assessment ELARD 3.3. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT ........................................................................................ 16 3.4. THE EXECUTING OFFICE............................................................................................... 16 4. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT ........................................................................................................................17 4.1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE EIGHT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS................ 17 4.2. PROCESS THEORY......................................................................................................... 18 4.2.1 Anaerobic Biological Treatment Processes........................................................... 21 4.2.2 Anaerobic Reactor Types....................................................................................... 22 4.2.2.1 High Rate Suspended Growth Anaerobic Reactors .............................................................................23 4.2.3 Aerobic Biological Treatment Processes............................................................... 25 4.2.1.1. Aerobic Reactor Types.........................................................................................................................26 4.2.1.2. Activated Sludge (Suspended Growth) Aerobic Reactors .............................................................27 4.2.1.3. Trickling Filter (Attached Growth) Aerobic Reactor......................................................................28 4.2.4 Disinfection............................................................................................................ 30 4.3. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES ....................................................................................... 32 4.3.1. Process Selection ................................................................................................... 32 4.3.2. Site Selection.......................................................................................................... 40 4.4. DETAILED PROCESS DESCRIPTION ................................................................................ 48 4.5. EFFLUENTS CHARACTERIZATION AND MANAGEMENT.................................................. 53 4.5.1. Liquid Effluent........................................................................................................ 53 4.5.1.1. Liquid Effluent Characteristics ...........................................................................................................53 4.5.1.2. Liquid Effluent Management..............................................................................................................53 4.5.3. Sludge Effluent....................................................................................................... 57 4.5.3.1. Sludge Characteristics ..........................................................................................................................57 4.5.3.2. Sludge Management .............................................................................................................................58 4.5.4. Miscellaneous Wastes ............................................................................................ 59 4.6. PLANT CONSTRUCTION ................................................................................................. 59 5. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT ..........................................................................................................61 5.1. GENERAL SETTING........................................................................................................ 61 5.2. METEOROLOGICAL SETTING......................................................................................... 64 5.3. SITE SETTING................................................................................................................ 69 5.3.1. Chebaa Site............................................................................................................ 69 5.3.2. Chouaia Site........................................................................................................... 71 Wastewater Treatment Plants – Hasbaiya Caza iii Environmental Impact Assessment ELARD 5.3.3. El Fardis Site ......................................................................................................... 73 5.3.4. Hebbariye Site........................................................................................................ 74 5.3.5. Kaoukaba Site........................................................................................................ 76 5.3.6. Kfar Hamam Site.................................................................................................... 78 5.3.7. Mari Site................................................................................................................. 81 5.3.8. Rachaiya el Foukhar Site....................................................................................... 83 5.4. TECTONIC SETTING AND SEISMICITY............................................................................ 85 5.5. GEOLOGICAL SETTING.................................................................................................. 85 5.5.1. Stratigraphy ........................................................................................................... 85 5.5.1.1. Jurassic Formations...............................................................................................................................85