Reclaimed Water Recharge: A Review of Water Quality Improvement during Column Studies of Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT)

Water recycling and reuse is a major component of contemporary water management strategies as the world faces increasing fresh water demand and problems associated with disposal of wastewater. The use of soil aquifer treatment (SAT) is the most common method for Artificial recharge as it does not require high technology levels. It is simple and cost effective to operate and is capable of achieving extremely good quality treatment of the recharged water. However, the success of this method can be limited by clogging issues affecting the overall performance of these systems. This paper deals with the literature review of SAT Technology with soil columns study using primary as well as secondary effluents with related removal efficiency of different pollutants. The use of soil columns test for the study of SAT is a way to better understand removal mechanisms in soil, hence helping to understand SAT full scale performance and eventual risks. The main conclusion of the review is that the soil columns can be effective on removal of the major contaminants from wastewater. The use of soil columns prove to serve the purpose of removal relates with the configuration of the columns, as well as the soil type affecting infiltration rates and the development of clogging issues.