How engineered wetlands in Saudi Arabia can save water and money
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Business
Most of thewaterused in aluminum refining and smelting is treated in a system that involves networks of pipes and tonnes of steel. The water is "cleaned" in tanks using chemicals, monitors, mechanical filters. When it's clean enough, the water is returned for industrial reuse.
Anew joint projectbetweenAlcoaand the Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden) offers a more sustainable alternative. Near the world's largest aluminium mine, wetlands will be constructed to act as a bio-filter for sanitary and industrial wastewater. Vegetation will stimulate the growth of micro-organisms that will remove nitrogen, metals and other impurities from the water, using natural chemical processes.
It's expected that the wetland system will reduce the mine's water demand by 2m gallons (7.5m litres) a day, saving US$7m a year in water purchase costs. Another saving is the 1,000 tonnes of steel that would otherwise have been required for a conventional tank-based water cleaning system.
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