The document discusses symbiotic wastewater treatment technology as an innovative approach for water and energy conservation in Saudi Arabia. It provides background on the country's wastewater situation, goals for treatment and reuse, and key challenges. The symbiotic technology combines wastewater treatment and irrigation techniques in one system using biological reactors and drip irrigation. Case studies demonstrate high treatment efficiency up to 99.999% and significant advantages over conventional systems in terms of costs, energy usage, and environmental impacts. The technology can be applied across various scales from individual homes to industrial and municipal facilities.

1. Jubail, 5 June 2016
THE WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY SYMPOSIUM
ROYAL COMMISSION IN JUBAIL
SYMBIOTIC WASTEWATER TREATMENT & REUSE TECHNOLOGY:
AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH FOR WATER AND ENERGY CONSERVATION
For Discussion Purposes OnlyPrivate and Confidential

2. Contents
2
Introduction: Water sector in KSA1
Main Advantages & Applications
3
4
Symbiotic Wastewater Treatment2
Examples/Case study
3
17
23
9
Slide No.

3. 3
Introduction: Wastewater situation in KSA
• Total volume of generated WW (SWW+IWW) in KSA: 4.5-5 Million m³/d (*)
• Kingdom’s sewage collection total coverage: over 50%
• Sewage systems including WWTP are only available in large urban centers
• WW disposal is limited only to cesspits in small towns and rural areas
• At least 35% of the total WW produced is discharged in the untreated form
• Majority of WWTPs in KSA have secondary levels of treatment. Main
technologies used are:
 Activated sludge or trickling filters
 Extended aeration
 Aerated lagoons
 Carousel systems
• Tertiary treatment facilities do exist, mainly around larger cities
(*) Produced water not included

4. 4
Introduction-Wastewater reuse situation in KSA
• Currently 2.75 million m³/d of treated wastewater (TSE) is reused
• Majority of TSE is being provided for free on a non-commercial basis
• NWC’s TSE initiative is ongoing since 2012: promising results
• TSE is estimated that could rise to @ 5.75 million m³/d by 2035
Current and projected levels of treated wastewater reuse in Saudi Arabia. Source: KAUST/MOWE (2011)

5. 5
Introduction-Wastewater treatment and reuse goals in KSA
MOWE Infrastructure Goals
for cities with more than 5,000 inhabitants
• By 2025, cities will be nearly 100% served with water supply and sewage collection
systems
• Nearly all sewage collection systems will be connected to WWTPs by 2025
• All reuse quality treated sewage effluent (RQTSE) will be beneficially reused
• By 2030 TSE usage in six major cities is expected to be around 4.0 million m³/day
Ninth Development Plan 2010-2014
Wastewater targets
• Increase the proportion of treated wastewater to about 50% of consumption
for municipal purposes
• Increase the rate of reuse of treated wastewater to about 50%
• Add 700,000 new wastewater connections and 12,000 kilometers of
wastewater networks, bringing service coverage to 60%

6. 6
Introduction-Wastewater treatment and reuse initiatives in KSA
“We will also promote
the optimal use of our
water resources by
reducing consumption
and utilizing treated
and renewable water¨
National Water Strategy: “To develop and introduce new technological and institutional innovations”
Regulations and Initiatives to promote Wastewater Treatment and Reuse in KSA. Source: Marafiq, 2015

7. 7
Introduction-Wastewater treatment and reuse potential in KSA
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
STP Capacity Treated Sewage TSE Reuse
Volume[1000m3/day]
Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Potential in KSA. Source: Ministry of Water and Electricity, 2010

8. 8
Introduction-Water related key challenges in KSA
• Saudi Arabia is listed under “absolutely water scarcity category” country
• KSA lacks sufficient water and WWT capacity to meet future demand
• Domestic water demand is increasing at an annual growth rate of 6%: it is
projected to increase by 3.8 million m³/day during the period 2010 – 2035
• Industrial water demand is growing 7.5%/y & will grow 50% in the next 15 years
• WW production will also increase accordingly: @ 7.5 million m³/day by 2035

9. 9
SYMWATECH: Definition & Concept
• SYMWATECH© = SYMBIOTIC WASTEWATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY
• Innovative, simple and reliable technology to treat sanitary/industrial WW
• Combines WWT and IRR techniques to create urban green areas in same place
• SYMWATECH © is registered in 30 countries under different patent numbers

10. 10
SYMWATECH: Description of the technology
• SYMWATECH© is an aerobic WWT process that consists essentially in a trickling filter
or fixed bed biological reactor (BBR)
• Its successful performance is based on the following technical aspects:
1) Two differentiated areas: treatment (purification) area and cultivation area
2) The use of a rings’ filters as an essential pre-treatment system;
3) An underground drip irrigation system to distribute homogeneously the
wastewater into the aerobic BBR;
4) The design of an interior structure linking purification and cultivation areas;
5) Horizontal/vertical device which allows deep natural oxygenation of BBR

11. 11
SYMWATECH: Description of the technology
Drainage/ventilation

12. 12
SYMWATECH: Vertical vs Horizontal configuration

13. 13
SYMWATECH: Vertical vs Horizontal configuration

14. 750 habitantes
Earthworks
Waterproofing with polyethylene sheet
Drip pipelines system
14
SYMWATECH: Construction process details

15. Pipelines network system
Gravel bed placement
Drip pipelines and cultivation sand placement
15
SYMWATECH: Construction process details

16. 750 habitantes
WATER VALVES BOX
Detachable connections
Guide tubes
16
SYMWATECH: operation and maintenance details
Pumping station

17. Tertiary treatment plant in Quart-Benager (Valencia) : 780 m3/d
Camping Moratalla (Murcia): 750 people
WWTP at Cenajo hotel (Murcia): 60 m3/d (500 eq. inhabitants)
17
SYMWATECH: Examples of horizontal symbiotic plants
WWTP at the University of Murcia: 500 m3/d (5,000 eq. inhabitants)

18. 18
SYMWATECH: Examples of vertical symbiotic plants
Wastewater can be pre-treated and treated even in
the town center; any herbaceous crop or shrub can
be grown, as desired.
WWTP with aviary and urban garden in Santomera city: 12 m3/d IWWTP in a food industry in Murcia: 15 m3/d

19. 19
SYMWATECH - University of Murcia case study: 500 m3/d
Reduction of solids, oil & grease, up to optimal design parameters
Sludge removal and final disposal
Screening, sieving,
regulation tank,
pumping Consumption and
removal of organic
matter
Regulation
Symbiotic reactor
(Stage 1 to 4)
Tertiary treatment:
Consumption of
organic matter,
oxygen,
denitrification and
disinfection
Water tanks &
Pumping station
TSE
Rings’ filters
Area = 395 m2
Area = 4,131 m2

20. 20
SYMWATECH - University of Murcia case study: 500 m3/d
Reduction of solids, oil & grease, up to optimal design parameters
Sludge removal and final disposal
Screening, sieving,
regulation tank,
pumping Consumption and
removal of organic
matter
Regulation
Symbiotic reactor
(Stage 1 to 4)
Tertiary treatment:
Consumption of
organic matter,
oxygen,
denitrification and
disinfection
Water tanks &
Pumping station
TSE
Rings’ filters
Area = 395 m2
Area = 4,131 m2

21. 21
SYMWATECH - University of Murcia case study: results
Inlet effluent quality
Parameter Range Average
 pH (7.13 - 8.28) 7.66
 Dissolved oxygen (mg O2/L) (0.20 - 5.73) 2.49
 Conductivity (mS/cm) (1.64 - 3.55) 2.25
 TSS (mg/L) (265 - 976) 518
 COD (mg O2/L) (571 – 2,320) 1,012
 BOD 5 (mg O2/L) (300 -1,100) 536
 NTK (mg N/L) (23 - 60) 42
 N-NH4
+ (mg N/L) (21 - 51) 35
 Nitrates (mg N/L) 0 0
 P Tot (mg P/L) (6 - 22) 11
 P-PO4
3 - (mg P/L) (2 - 17) 5

22. 22
SYMWATECH - University of Murcia case study: results
Final effluent quality, performance and values indicated in the EU Directive
Parameter Range Average Performance
(%)
Directive
91/271/EEC
 pH (7.47 - 8.30) 7.76
 Dissolved oxygen (mg O2/L) (4.15 - 18.5) 9.25
 Conductivity (mS/cm) (1.90 - 2.66) 2.34
 TSS (mg/L) (5 - 19) 11 96 35
 COD (mg O2/L) (21 - 51) 33 97 125
 BOD 5 (mg O2/L) (2 - 5) 3 25
 NTK (mg N/L) (0.3 - 3) 1 88
 N-NH 4
+ (mg N/L) (0.1 - 3) 1 87
 Nitrates (mg N/L) (7.6 - 31.7) 15.9
 P Tot (mg P/L) (2.7 - 5) 4 60
 P-PO4
3 - (mg P/L) (1.7 - 4) 3

23. 23
SYMWATECH: MAIN ADVANTAGES
1) Can treat any type of wastewater with high yields (up to 99.999%);
2) Design flexibility: scalable and adaptable to any specific requirement/condition;
3) No or little influence of the temperature in the process;
4) Significant reduction of civil works and electromechanical equipment;
5) Low energy requirements: from 0.24 to 0.8 kw.h/m3  Reduction of CO2 emissions
6) Low chemicals consumption;
7) Very low and easy O&M requirements: can be done by non-qualified personnel;
8) Long-lasting: natural ecosystems that can operate 24h/365d
9) Low sludge production and easy disposal as compost;
10) No negative impacts to the health & environment: very low noise, odour free;
11) No visual impact as the symbiotic treatment plants are integrated in the landscape;
12) Easy to build with local materials readily available in any location;

24. 24
SYMWATECH: MAIN APLICATIONS
Any water consumer, from an individual user to big consumers (public or private) that
need to treat their wastewaters generated, such as:
- Single family houses / group of villas or a housing development;
- Compounds;
- Real estate companies;
- Construction companies;
- Town councils;
- NWC, MODON, ROYAL COMMISSION, MARAFIQ, SAUDI ARAMCO, SABIC, SEC,
MA’ADEN, SWCC;
- Golf courses, football stadiums or any other sports field;
- Leisure places: hotels and resorts, malls, shopping centers, public gardens, etc.;
- Airports;
- Petrol stations and/or any type of industry, especially food & beverage

25. For further information:
THANK YOU
‫شكرا‬
Manuel Hidalgo
Phone: +966 (0) 597203761
Email: manuel.hidalgo.linkedin@gmail.com
RAMADAN MUBARAK
‫مبارك‬ ‫رمضان‬