Assessment of availability and characteristics of Greywater in Amman

Abstract:

The problem of water scarcity in Jordan has resulted in enormous pressures on the already limited renewable water sources. As a result, reuse of water is becoming an essential component of the water management trends being adopted. This study aims at evaluating the potential of greywater availability and the various components constituting sources of greywater generated in Amman, at investigating the different water quality parameters of the greywater in order to assess its reuse potential, and at gauging the public acceptance of greywater reuse for different applications. A survey was designed and administered in 38 areas of Amman. The survey covered a total of 233 houses and 1,514 people. Fifteen greywater samples, distributed equally, were collected and analyzed from showers, laundries, and sinks in some of these houses to determine their water quality parameters. The study concluded that per capita water consumption in Amman ranged between 51 and 115 liters per day, with an average of 84 liters per day. The quantities of greywater generated in Amman ranged from 39 to 80 Lpcd, with an average of 59 Lpcd, which constitute 70 percent of the total water consumption. Laundry, shower, and sink effluents comprised 16, 34, and 50 percent of greywater sources, respectively. The physical, chemical, and biological analyses of the grab samples revealed that greywater contains significant levels of suspended solids, inorganic constituents, chemical and biochemical oxygen demands, total Coliforms and Fecal Coliform bacteria. The public acceptance survey revealed that 21.6 to 67.6 percent of the public accepted the reuse of greywater for vegetable growing, irrigation of fruit trees, car washing, toilet flushing, or home laundry. Additionally, 2.0 to 91.8 percent of the public opposed greywater reuse due to cost, health hazards, groundwater pollution, or environmental impacts.