Abstract
The pollution problems in Saronikos Gulf arise mainly from the discharge of about 600,000 m3/day of untreated wastewater into the northern part of this gulf. To alleviate the situation, a new major treatment and sea disposal system is under construction. Its design included various physical oceanographic and marine geological surveys. This article summarizes their results and assesses their impact on the unique design features of the outfall and diffusers.
During summer, the stratification at the site of discharge is sufficiently strong to prevent the submerged sewage field from surfacing. This strong summer stratification coupled with the virtual absence of upwelling and the presence of a well-organized current field at the level of effluent trapping (about 40 m) ensures the offshore advection of the diluted submerged wastefield, via either the dominant cyclonic or the rarer anticyclonic circulatory patterns. The sea floor morphology is smooth (except near the Psyttalia coastline where poorly sorted coarse biogenic sands are steeply inclined), and the bottom is covered by an unconsolidated sedimentary layer with a thickness ranging from 10 to 167 cm and consisting in the western part of silty sand and in the eastern part of sandy silt. The seismic data indicated the absence of active faults, valleys, and channels. Below the surficial sediment cover, two seismic units were discerned, which may be correlated with the Quaternary and the Triassic outcrops on the island. The marine geological results indicated that rather minor technical work will be needed for the emplacement of the outfall system.
Similar content being viewed by others
References Cited
Brooks, N. H., 1980, Synthesis of stratified flow phenomena for design of ocean outfalls,in 2nd international symposium on stratified flows: Trondheim, Norway, 24–27 June, p. 809–831.
Brooks, N. H., and R. C. Y. Koh, 1986, Outfall diffuser system for discharge of effluent from treatment works on Psyttalia Island, Athens; Hydraulic design and water quality analysis for near and intermediate field: Report to the Greek Ministry of Environment, Planning and Public Works, p. 55.
Coachman, L., T. S. Hopkins, and R. C. Dugdale, 1976, Water masses in the Saronikos Gulf in winter: Acta Adriatica, v. 18, p. 131–161.
Fischer, H. B., E. J. List, R. C. Y. Koh, J. Imberger, and N. H. Brooks, 1979, Mixing in inland and coastal waters: New York, Academic Press, p. 483.
Folk, R., 1974, Petrology of sedimentary rocks: Austin, Texas, Hemphil p. 170.
Hopkins, T. S., and L. K. Coachman, 1975, Circulation patterns in the Saronikos Gulf in relation to the winds: interim technical report 1: Athens, Greece, Environmental Pollution Control Project, p. 228–292.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Theodorou, A.J., Perissoratis, C. Environmental considerations for design of the Athens sea outfall, Saronikos Gulf, greece. Environ. Geol. Water Sci 17, 233–248 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01701704
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01701704