THE APPLICATION OF THE COMBINED WASTEWATER POINT/SOIL FILTER TRATMENT PLANT, AS AN ALTERNATIVE INTERVENTION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF WATER QUALITY IN SOME RIVERS IN ALBANIA

Sotir Mali, University “A. Xhuvani” of Elbasan, Albania
Spase Shumka, Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania

  Abstract

Some big demographic changes have happened these two last decades in all around the Albania. These changes are followed by the increase of the inhabitant’s number, restaurants, factories, butcheries and dairy-farms, especially along the rivers. Based on The Water Framework Directive of the EU that provides the ground leading guidelines for meeting the standards in both water quality and quantity, some alternative interventions need to carry out.
In this paper we are presenting the data of microbiological pollution of Shkumbini and Osumi Rivers that are two of the most important watershed basins in Albania. Establishing fecal coliform pollution source allocation loads is a complex, difficult process – especially when dealing with non-point sources. Fecal coliform pollution in both two rivers comes from a variety of sources including urban runoff or leaking septic systems, livestock, wildlife, illicit connections, leaking sewer lines and permitted point sources. The current measures serves as a guidelines for possible manage fecal coliform pollution in Shkumbini and Osumi basins following the WFD guidelines. The data shows an increase values over thousand coliforms bact /100 ml water. As a very first recommendation for improvement we suggest the following: More detailed identification of pollution sources using the targeted sampling bacterial.
Source tracking (BST) method; Building of the urban water treatment facilities, both commercial and biological; Creative financing options to help homeowners repair failing septic systems such as using; Improvements to septic tank maintenance including a septic tank management ordinance: and the application of the combined wastewater point/soil filter treatment plant. Target and expand inspections of the high pet concentration areas, specifically focusing on places with high concentrations of animals such as kennels or boarding facilities, animal shelters, breeders. Also the same actions need to carry out with restaurants, factories, butcheries and dairy-farms as well.

Keywords: Fecal pollution, Shkumbin River, Osumi River