Southern Arava Sustainable Waste Management Plan: Constructed Wetlands and Wastewater Treatment

Good/best practices in the framework of Horizon 2020

Issues: Urban waste water

Project typology: Pollution reduction/capacity building/research

The constructed wetlands pilot project aims at treating the sewage of Kibbutz Neot Smadar and Kibbutz Neve Harif in the south of Israel. The aims of the project are:

To end sewage contamination of the ground, the aquifer and the dry river bed by biologically treating the sewage as part of the creation of a wetlands ecosystem.
To serve as an example of intensive wetlands in the Negev mountain climate for neighboring communities.
To serve as an educational resource and tourist attraction for groups interested in learning about water reuse and recycling and/or local wildlife and migrating birds.

Environmental and/or economic benefits: The Ketura Valley Constructed Wetland (CW) treats the sewage treatment needs of two rural communities through constructed wetlands technology in a desert environment. The CW treats relatively small sewage volumes with a high organic load, in an extensive sewage treatment system. It represents an innovative concept, by treating municipal/agricultural sewage and creating a new eco-system which attracts both migrating birds, and the tourists interested in observing the birds. The project is aimed at ending aquifer pollution, reusing water and enhancing research and monitoring. It is being monitored by Ben Gurion University, as part of the research into the feasibility of a desert environment CW.

Country(ies)	Israel
Area(s) and focus(es) of the project	Waste Management (projects) Capacity building Guidelines for effective waste management Networking, participation and partnership building Waste disposal methods and sites presenting a risk for the environment Waste reduction, re-use and recycling
Project scale	National
Tools	Innovative pilot programs for the construction of intensive wetlands at cooperative farms (Kibbutz) for sustainable sewage treatment of municipal and agricultural waste; Ending current sewage disposal pollution of the ground, the aquifer and dry riverbed (wadi) paths by biologically treating the sewage as part of a wetlands ecosystem, using filtering techniques and water plants in pools; Using the constructed wetlands for wastewater recycling and irrigation of ecological educational park; Serving as an example of intensive wetlands in a desert environment for other neighboring communities and as a testing ground for building methods appropriate to the desert climate; Educational resource and tourist attraction for groups interested in learning about water re-use and recycling and local wildlife and migrating birds; Hosting groups from country and region; Seminars; Monitoring and research program to produce a protocol for desert environment constructed wetlands
Locations	Hevel Eilot Region
Budget	759,379 €
Timeframe	01/2005-12/2007
Implementing organisation(s)	Kibbutz Neot Smadar Kibbutz Lotan Hevel Eilot Regional Council
Contact	Mr. Alex Cicelsky- Project Manager- Kibbutz Lotan Tel:972-549799009 E-mail: lotan-build@lotan.ardom.co.il Eliza Mayo Tzell HaTamar, Kibbutz Lotan, DN Hevel Eilot 88855 mailto:Lotan-news@lotan.ardom.co.il Tel: 972 8 6356811/ 935 Fax: 972 8 6356827 Mr. Amnon Ruchiin- Kibbutz Neot Smadar- Business Manager Tel:972 8 6358111 Fax:972 8 6358168 e-mail; neotsmdr@inter.net.il Mr. Uri Nusinow , Project Manager –Hevel Eilot Regional Council Tel: 972 52 5708697 E-mail: uri@arava.org
Donor(s)	European Commission (EC) Life Third Countries Programme 7134 €
Links	http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/li ... http://saswmp.com/index_files/Page738.ht ... http://www.sviva.gov.il/Enviroment/bin/e ...
Contributor	Shoshana Gabbay

Page last updated: 26/06/2008