A System for on Site Treatment and Disposal of Wastewaters from Tourist Resorts

A system for on-site treatment and disposal of wastewaters from tourist resorts was evaluated and compared to conventional package plants on the basis of experimental results obtained from a laboratory scale simulation of the system and reported data. The system was found to produce an effluent comparable to package plant effluents with respect to BOD5 and suspended solids but superior with respect to reliability and fecal coliforms. Disposal of the treated effluent to the soil through absorption trenches or to the sea through a short outfall are the most appropriate disposal methods, although reuse for irrigation after disinfection can also be practiced. The initial capital cost of the system is at most half the cost of the conventional package plants and the operation and maintenance expenditure negligible. The system is particularly suited to recreational facilities with seasonal operation.