Assessment of the effectiveness of a full-scale trickling filter for the treatment of municipal sewage in an arid environment: Multiple linear regression model prediction of fecal coliform removal

In response to water scarcity, Morocco faces the challenge of using treated wastewater for irrigation purposes. This study evaluates the efficiency of a full-scale trickling filter (TF) system in Imintanout, Morocco. The system consists of three septic tanks, two TFs, and secondary decanters. Over a 5-year period, the system showed significant reductions in pollutants: 98 % of TSS, 94 % of BOD5, 98 % of COD, 41 % of TP, and 88 % of NH4+, with these reductions being statistically significant at the 95 % confidence level. A multiple linear regression (MLR) model successfully predicted the removal of fecal coliform (FC) by the TF, and a reduction of 2.88 log units was achieved. High cos2 values indicated the importance of hydraulic loading rate (HLR), BOD5, and FC, which were particularly affected by seasonal variations. Positive correlations between FC and TSS in certain periods highlight the seasonal variability in the composition of urban wastewater, which is effectively captured by the MLR model (R2 = 0.77). Although the treated water complied with Moroccan discharge standards, its high nitrate (140 mg L-1) and FC (4.32 log units) levels made it unsuitable for reuse in agricultural and landscape irrigation, as they exceeded safety limits. This work highlights the importance of optimizing treatment systems to produce high quality reclaimed water, which is essential to meet the challenges of water scarcity.