Assessment of Riverbank Filtration (RBF) for Drinking Water Supply in Upper Egypt

Riverbank filtration has long been used to provide drinking water to riparian societies around the world. Although this success and its appeal as a low-cost technology, it has not been widely applied as a viable means for water supply in developing countries. Riverbank filtration can provide the added benefit of natural filtration in addition to the enhancement of treatment efficiency even if treatment plants are used in polluted reaches of the rivers. Moreover, for ephemeral rivers or Wadis, prospective applications of riverbank filtration, as well as the storage and recovery of aquifers, might be envisaged. Several ideas related to riverbank filtration, as well as their relevance to desert environments, were discussed in this work. Discussion of the hydrogeochemical processes involved in riverbank filtration and artificial recharging of contaminated surface water, including quantification, identification, and zonation. The riverbank filtration system for water supply along the Nile River (Nile Valley of Egypt) is also presented and evaluated. The study recommends policymakers endeavor to expand the use of Riverbank Filtration (RBF) technology as a strategic move to improve the quality of Nile water and meet the growing demand for drinking water. Furthermore, for the efficient implementation of RBF technology in Egypt, a complete hydrogeological site study is necessary, considering geological, hydrological, and environmental factors to establish optimal site selection.