ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS “MAASSER EL SHOUF” HIGHER SHOUF MUNICIPALITIES CAZA OF SHOUF Prepared by ARAB RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT (ARD) Submitted to: Catholic Near East Welfare Association PONTIFICAL MISSION November 2003 Environmental Impact Assessment ARD TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................................................................................... II LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................................................ VII LIST OF FIGURES ...............................................................................................................................................................IX LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS ..................................................................................................................................................X LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ..............................................................................................................................................XI NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY....................................................................................................................................XIV INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... XIV LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS ........................................................................... XIV PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT............................................................................................................ XV DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT ................................................................................................ XV DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................... XVII IMPACT ASSESSMENT .......................................................................................................... XVIII MITIGATION MEASURES ....................................................................................................... XVIII ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN .............................................................................. XVIII 1. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................1 1.1. THE OVERALL CONTEXT ................................................................................................ 1 1.2. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE ..................................................................................... 1 1.3. THE PROJECT .................................................................................................................. 5 1.4. THE PROJECT LOCATION................................................................................................. 6 1.5. THE STUDY AND THE EIA REPORT ................................................................................. 7 2. LEGISLATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS ...........................................................8 2.1. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK............................................................................................. 8 2.2. INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ....................................................................................... 11 3. BACKGROUND INFORMATION...................................................................................................... 12 3.1. PROJECTS INITIATION ................................................................................................... 12 Wastewater Treatment Plant – Maasser El Shouf ii Environmental Impact Assessment ARD 3.2. IMPORTANCE OF THE PROJECT ...................................................................................... 12 3.3. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT ........................................................................................ 14 3.4. THE EXECUTING OFFICE............................................................................................... 14 4. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT.................................................................................................. 15 4.1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT......................................................................... 15 4.2. PROCESS THEORY (CONVENTIONAL AND EXTENDED AERATION ACTIVATED SLUDGE SYSTEMS) .................................................................................................................... 16 4.3. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES ....................................................................................... 17 4.3.1 Process and Technology Selection......................................................................... 17 4.3.2 Site Selection.......................................................................................................... 24 4.4. DETAILED PROCESS DESCRIPTION ................................................................................ 24 4.4.1 Standard Extended Aeration Activated Sludge System and TECH UNIVERSAL Extended Aeration Activated Sludge Plus Filtration System................................. 24 4.4.2 HANS-Reactor Activated Sludge System................................................................ 26 4.4.3 ECOLO System ...................................................................................................... 27 4.5. EFFLUENTS CHARACTERIZATION AND MANAGEMENT.................................................. 30 4.5.1 Liquid Effluent........................................................................................................ 30 4.5.1.1 Liquid Effluent Characteristics................................................................................................................30 4.5.1.2 Liquid Effluent Management...................................................................................................................31 4.5.2 Sludge Effluent....................................................................................................... 31 4.5.2.1 Sludge Characteristics...............................................................................................................................31 4.5.2.2 Sludge Management..................................................................................................................................32 4.5.3 Miscellaneous Wastes ............................................................................................ 32 4.6. PLANT CONSTRUCTION ................................................................................................. 33 4.6.1 Extended Aeration Activated Sludge System.......................................................... 33 4.6.2 HANS-Reactor Activated Sludge System................................................................ 34 4.6.3 ECOLO System ...................................................................................................... 34 5. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................... 36 5.1. GENERAL SETTING........................................................................................................ 36 5.2. METEOROLOGICAL SETTING......................................................................................... 38 Wastewater Treatment Plant – Maasser El Shouf iii Environmental Impact Assessment ARD 5.2.1 Precipitation........................................................................................................... 38 5.2.2 Temperatures ......................................................................................................... 40 5.2.3 Winds...................................................................................................................... 41 5.3. SITE SETTING................................................................................................................ 41 5.4. TECTONIC SETTING AND SEISMICITY............................................................................ 43 5.5. GEOLOGICAL SETTING.................................................................................................. 44 5.5.1 Stratigraphy ........................................................................................................... 45 5.5.1.1 Cretaceous...................................................................................................................................................45 5.5.2 Structure................................................................................................................. 46 5.5.3 Hydrogeological Setting ........................................................................................ 46 5.5.3.1 Aquifers .......................................................................................................................................................47 5.5.3.2 Aquicludes (Abeih and Hammana aquicludes; C3 -C2b Formation).................................................48 5.5.3.3 Well Survey ................................................................................................................................................48 5.5.3.4 Spring Survey .............................................................................................................................................49 5.5.3.5 Hydrogeological budget............................................................................................................................51