Geohydraulic conditions and post-treatment at riverbank filtration sites in Eastern Europe

Abstract

Managed aquifer recharge is gaining in importance worldwide. As there is not much information on bank filtration (BF) sites in Eastern Europe, a survey of geohydraulic conditions and post-treatment schemes carried out. Such information will make it possible to assess hydraulic conditions in the region and the commonly required post-treatment. Data were collected from publications, archival documentations, maps as well as through direct communication with administrators of relevant water companies. As a result, a summary of the data from 71 BF or BF/artificial recharge (AR) well fields in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia was prepared. Data on the source of water, location, capacity, aquifer thickness and hydraulic conductivity, and treatment methods were collected. Thirteen of the studied 71 RBF well fields are combined with AR. The most common type of BF in Eastern Europe is riverbank filtration (RBF) with wells located along a river. 56% of the analyzed sites are located along larger rivers such as the Danube, Drava, Nemunas, Neris, Odra, Volga, Warta and the Wisła. The smallest BF site has a discharge capacity of only 38 m3/day, the largest BF site 210,000 m3/day, while the smallest and the largest combined BF/AR site has a discharge capacity of 5,500 m3/day and 150,000 m3/day, respectively. The average values of aquifer thickness and hydraulic conductivity are 21 m and 2.7*10-3 m/s, respectively, at BF sites and 16 m and 5.7*10-4 m/s, respectively, at BF/AR sites. The most common post-treatment steps include aeration-filtration – disinfection, UV, ozone and activated carbon being used at many sites as well. The collected data can prove helpful in designing and modernizing BF sites, comparing and establishing direct contacts with water companies facing similar conditions. The outcome of this study is the built-up BF database for Eastern Europe, which can supplement the Global Inventory of Managed Aquifer Recharge Schemes (IGRAC 2017)