Algeria’s El-Kerma wastewater treatment plant to be upgraded

The El-Kerma wastewater treatment plant in Algeria is set to be upgraded. Algerian Minister of Hydraulics, Taha Derbal confirmed the report and said the government will invest in US $15M in the project.

The project located in Oran, Algeria, is a significant initiative aimed at improving irrigation water supply to the Mleta plain. The scope of work include renovating 9 km of the plant’s pumping pipe. This aspect of the project is expected to consume one-third of the allocated funds.

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Benefits

Another part of the project focuses on equipping the El-Kerma plant to increase current treatment capacity of 90,000 m3 per day which is one-third of the plant’s installed capacity of 270,000 m3 per day.

The El-Kerma wastewater treatment plant employs a multi-step treatment process, including pre-treatment, primary treatment, biological treatment using activated sludge, and tertiary treatment involving disinfection with chlorine.

The additional treated wastewater obtained after the rehabilitation of the El-Kerma plant will be used for irrigation purposes. The Mleta plain, covering nearly 6,700 hectares of land, will benefit from this reused wastewater for agricultural activities.

The Mleta plain is situated to the south of the Sebkha of Oran, a large salt flat. Oran is the second-largest city in Algeria after Algiers, with a significant population estimated at 936,000 in 2023. The region is known for its rich agricultural land.