An eco-friendly solution for greywater treatment via date palm fiber filter

Abstract

Greywater reuse emerges as a promising solution, being a renewable resource with relatively low treatment costs due to its low pollutant content. In Saudi Arabia, ablution water (AW) serves as a significant example of greywater due to its substantial quantities. This study introduces an assessment of a pilot scale sustainable filtration system for treating AW for reuse purposes and its water savings potential in mosques. Various AW samples were collected from 24 mosques distributed across Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, considering geographic location and local activity. The collected samples underwent measurement and comparison of total dissolved solids (TDS), pH, conductivity and turbidity. A filtration process was conducted using date palm fibers (DPFs) as a green filtration media with varying thicknesses to achieve optimal TDS and turbidity removal. The findings exhibited significant decreases in turbidity, up to 90%, while TDS and conductivity lowered by up to 15%. pH levels varied based on the surrounding area's activities, decreasing for domestic and increasing for commercial and industrial regions, meeting the standard pH environmental levels. This study sheds light on the potential of greywater recycling, contributing to efforts in mitigating water scarcity and promoting sustainable water management practices.