VATI DISPOSAL SITE

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VATI DISPOSAL SITE
Sewage collected from the Greater Limassol Area is treated at the lagoons of
Vati. Some of the lagoons are unlined. The first anaerobic lagoons started
operating in 1977. Since then, new lagoons were added including an aerated
lagoon with coarse bubble diffusers five years ago.
During the winter, approximately 1,200 m3/day of sewage were received at the
lagoons and 2000 m3/day during the summer. In addition, the dairy industry,
Kristies, has its own anaerobic lagoon at Vati to partially treat its 140m3/day of
liquid waste before entering the other lagoons.
Because of the high flows, the lagoons are only able to treat partially the
incoming sewage. The average effluent concentrations for the last eight months
ranges from 70 to 100 mg/l BOD5, 90 to 150 mg/l SS and 120 to 280 mg/l COD.
The faecal coliforms counts range from 2 500 to 88 000 / 100ml. The effluent
discharges into a stream that leads to the Polimedhia Dam 5 km downstream.
Farmers sometimes use water from the stream illegally for irrigation with land in
the immediate area.
Deterioration of the water quality at the Polimedhia Dam caused by the effluent
from the industrial lagoon and the sewage lagoons and from the leachate from
the landfill. Approximately 70% of the liquid waste going to the lagoons is
coming from the area that will be served by the sewage system under Stage I.
The Department of Town Planning and Housing has plans to construct a new
lagoon in the near future using reed beds to improve the quality of the effluent.
After the Stage I has been completed, the volume of effluent discharged at the
lagoons fall by about 70%, which affected the performance of the lagoons and
the suitability of water from Polimedhia Dam for irrigation. A study is currently in
process to evaluate the situation.