Assessment of public private partnership for energy and biosolids management of Madaba wastewater treatment plant : a case study

Other Title(s)

تقييم شراكة القطاعين العام و الخاص لإدارة الطاقة و الحمأة في محطة مأدبا لمعالجة المياه العادمة : حالة دراسية

Dissertant

Matar, Firas

Thesis advisor

al-Said, Rashid Muhammad Yasir

Comitee Members

Mahmud, Nidal
Abu Madi, Mahir

University

Birzeit University

Faculty

Institute of Environmental and Water Studies

University Country

Palestine (West Bank)

Degree

Master

Degree Date

2013

English Abstract

The erection and operation of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Jordan call for highcapital and annual operational expenditures.

The latter is reflected though a high energy consumption of about 14 % of total electricity produced in Jordan.

This forms a huge financialburden on the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ), responsible for most of WWTPs in Jordan.

Of equal importance, the issue of sludge management, particularly sludge treatment, dewatering and disposal, is a critical issue.

Current management option entailing sludgetransportation to specific WWTPs puts high financial burdens on the WAJ.

Due to technicaland managerial attributes, the current management practices of WWTPs in Jordan haveresulted in un-sustainable wastewater treatment facilities associated with high operationalcosts and severe environmental impacts.

All this urged WAJ in 2011 to apply the concept ofPublic private Partnership (PPP) aiming at improving the efficiency of the wastewatertreatment facilities. Local experience on the application ofPPP in the Jordanian sanitation sector is limited andthe role of PPP in reducing operational expenditures of WWTPs warrant investigation.

Thisresearch study evaluates the first experience gained through PPP involvement pertinent to energy reduction and biosolids management at Madaba WWTP.

Technical management toolsincluding operational program of selective unit operations were developed to reduce energyconsumption and associated costs.

The data compiled, analyzed and presented in this thesiswork are based on a pioneer PPP pilot case implemented by WAJ and a consortium of private companies (Engicon-Jordan and Huber SE-Germany).

Evaluation and analysis of the compiled results obtained on the PPP after the first year ofoperation showed improvement in the energy efficiency and sludge managementeffectiveness.

Compared to conventional governmental management practices, application ofthe PPP concept achieved an average energy consumption reduction by 25 %, where the management costs of the sludge line were reduced by 68 %.

Without impacting the treatment efficacy of Madaba WWTP, the PPP initiative reduced the annual operational expenditures (OPEX) and improved the biosolids disposal path.

Annual saved OPEX ensured sustainableoperation and reduced the overall treatment costs rendering them affordable for the urbanresidents.

Considering the specificity of each WWTP, the PPP concept can be applied onother WWTPs across Jordan, however, the institutional framework including the legal andadministrative issues regards PPP involvement need further investigations.

Main Subjects

Earth Sciences, Water and Environment

Topics

• Management
• Sanitation
• Waste water
• Jordan
• Maʼdaba
• Sewage sludge

No. of Pages

140

Table of Contents

• APA
• MLA
• AMA

Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-358605