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The SHAFDAN - the Tel Aviv Area
Wastewater Treatment Plant
One example of Mekorot’s activity in the area of wastewater
treatment is the SHAFDAN - the Tel Aviv Area Wastewater
Treatment Plant under the ownership of Igudan (the Dan
RegionAssociation of Towns for Sewage and Environmental
Issues). The SHAFDAN is the largest wastewater treatment
plant in Israel and in the entire Middle East. There are
seven member municipalities in the association and other
communities are connected to it as well. It serves a population
of over 2 million in the densest, most highly populated
region in Israel - the Dan Region. The SHAFDAN, which is
considered the largest and most advanced plant of its kind
in the Middle East, handles about 130 million cubic meters
of wastewater per year. Mekorot has been responsible for
operating the wastewater treatment facility for over 40 years.
After the water is treated at the SHAFDAN, Mekorot sends
the treated wastewater to its “Third Negev Line” where the
treDted ZDsteZDter SXrified eIÁXent is inMected into the
groXnd YiD inMection fieOds Zhere it Xndergoes fiOtrDtion Dnd
natural treatment enabling its quality to improve to a very
high grade (tertiary treatment), and seasonal as well as
perennial storage using a unique method.
Treated wastewater recycling
Mekorot is considered one of the leading companies
worldwide in terms of recycling treated wastewater - both
in terms of quantity and in terms of quality. Mekorot recycles
60% high quality treated wastewater for irrigating agricultural
crops in compliance with the highest standards!
The way the treated wastewater recycling systems are
managed enables total separation between the treated
wastewater which have been injected into the water table
and the natural groundwater. The separation is achieved by
maintaining a pumping regime via boreholes, which ensure
water levels which prevent the injected water from mixing
with the natural groundwater.
The treated wastewater recycling enables directing additional
freshwater for household and industrial uses.
The “Third Negev Line” supplying
treated wastewater for agriculture
One example of a Mekorot recycling project supplying treated
wastewater that has undergone tertiary treatment for irrigating
all sorts of crops is the “Third Negev Line” project. For this
project, Mekorot treats the SHAFDAN treated wastewater
through tertiary treatment. The treatment is done by injecting
the treated waters into the Mekorot mechanical-biological
wastewater treatment facility at the Yavne and Sorek Sites,
into the subterranean strata of the coastal aquifer. In the
course of the injection, the treated wastewaters undergo
physio-chemical and biological processes, which substantially
improve their quality. This section of the coastal aquifer
serves as a seasonal and perennial storage site for the
large quantities of reclaimed water. The treated wastewater
is stored in the aquifer using a special method as mentioned
earlier, which prevents the treated wastewater from mixing
with the natural groundwater!
During the dry months, Mekorot reclaims these treated
wastewaters from underground and transports them via
the “Third Negev Line” for irrigation. Thanks to the high
Shafdan
Photo: Moshe Shai