Wastewater Treatment Processes

An-Najah National University (ANNU) implements a comprehensive and formalized water recycling program that integrates multiple systems: on-campus wastewater treatment, rainwater harvesting and reuse, greywater recovery, and innovative aquaculture water recycling. These initiatives collectively ensure that across ANNU’s campuses, more than 50% of total water demand for irrigation, selected building operations, and other non-potable uses is met through recycled sources. By reducing dependence on municipal freshwater supplies, ANNU’s program not only safeguards local water resources but also serves as a practical model of sustainable water management in Palestine. The system directly supports SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and contributes to broader campus sustainability goals, while providing students and researchers with hands-on training and applied research opportunities in advanced water reuse technologies.

1. Wastewater Treatment & Reuse

• Urban Campuses (New, Old, Hisham Hijjawi): Connected to the Nablus West Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) via a dedicated sewage network. Under an agreement with the WWTP, a portion of treated water is allocated for reuse in agricultural irrigation at the Tulkarm campus.

Process Flow Chart for Nablus WWTP Wastewater Treatment

• Tulkarm Campus – Faculty of Agriculture & Veterinary Medicine: Due to the absence of municipal treatment facilities, ANNU operates its own on-site Wastewater Purification Plant.

  • Annual Output: ~500 m³/year of treated water reused for irrigation of plants, trees, and vegetables.

  • Reuse Applications: Research fields, experimental plots, and landscaping.

  • Impact: Wastewater reuse accounts for ~20% of total irrigation demand at the Faculty of Agriculture.

• Hospital Campus – An-Najah National University Hospital (NNUH):

The Hospital Campus is directly connected to the municipal sewage network, ensuring safe collection and disposal of wastewater. In addition, ANNUH applies strict protocols for the pre-treatment of medical wastewater before it enters the municipal system. This process reduces contaminants and ensures compliance with environmental safety standards.

• Annual Output: Approximately 5,000 m³/year of pre-treated wastewater safely discharged.

• Reuse Applications: Indirect reuse through integration into the municipal treatment stream, later supporting agricultural irrigation in Nablus and Tulkarm areas.

• Impact: Reduces pollutant loads from hospital effluent, safeguards public health, and strengthens ANNU’s contribution to sustainable water management at the city-wide level.

2. Rainwater Recycling & Multi-Purpose Reuse

• Collection Points: Rooftops, open spaces, and parking areas across multiple campuses.
• Treatment: Filtration to remove debris and sediments before storage.

• Annual Output: ~7,000 m³/year of treated rainwater.

• Reuse Applications:

  • Garden and landscape irrigation via sprinklers and drip systems

  • Cleaning of open spaces and pedestrian areas

  • Supply to cooling towers and fire prevention systems

  • Toilet flushing in selected buildings

3. Innovative Aquaculture Water Reuse

Key Features:

• Annual Output: ~150 m³/year of recycled aquaculture water.

• Reuse Applications: Irrigation of trees, shrubs, and ornamental plants surrounding the aquaculture and agricultural facilities.

Impact:

• Demonstrates innovative circular water use by integrating aquaculture with agriculture.

• Provides a practical training model for students in sustainable water management and integrated farming.

• Reduces demand on freshwater supplies while supporting campus landscaping and biodiversity.

4. Advanced Medical & Laboratory Water Filtration

• Utilizes a multi-stage water purification system (cartridge, carbon, and sand filtration; softening; reverse osmosis; deionization; UV treatment; ultra-pure filtration).

• Recycled process water is reused for sterilization of equipment and certain cleaning applications, reducing fresh water demand.

5. Greywater Recycling

• Pilot Project in Sports Facilities:
  • Collection and filtration of shower greywater for use in irrigation.

  • Annual Output: ~1,500 m³/year of greywater reused.

• Plans for scale-up across administrative and academic buildings by 2025.

6. Quantitative Impact Summary (2025 Data)

• Total Annual Non-Potable Water Demand (ANNU, 2025): ~40,000 m³/year

• Total Annual Recycled Water Volume: 38,500 m³/year

• Percentage of Total Non-Potable Demand Met by Recycled Water: 96.25% (38,500 m³ ÷ 40,000 m³)