Farmers’ attitude towards using treated wastewater for irrigation: The question of sustainability

Barriers and Facilitators for Adopting Sustainable Soil Management Practices in Mediterranean Olive Groves

“…For example, there are now specific tools and machinery available for practically all of the tasks which can be adapted to the characteristics and circumstances of the different types of farms [75,76]. Similarly, the search for alternative water sources has contributed to ensuring the supply of water for irrigation in certain areas of the Mediterranean [77][78][79][80]. Even so, the characteristics of the agricultural sector, the volatility of prices and their dependence on external conditions such as climate imply that many farmers could have a very small profit margin, which limits them in accessing this technology.…”

Grass–Legume Forage Systems Effect on Phosphorus Removal from a Grassland Historically Irrigated with Reclaimed Wastewater

“…The two cultivars of tall fescue grass monoculture removed a greater quantity of P after two years than the grass-legume mixtures 1,3,6,10,11,12,13,14,16,17, and the three monoculture legumes (Table 5). Additionally, grass-legume mixtures 8 and 17 removed a greater quantity of P after two years than grass-legume mixtures 3,10,11,12,14,18, and all three monoculture legumes ( Table 5). Apart from grass-legume mixtures 11 and 12, all other mixtures removed greater total P after two years than the three monoculture legumes ( Table 5).…”

“…In water-scarce agroecosystems, crop production agriculture is heavily reliant on irrigation as the sporadic precipitation that accrued annually is insufficient to maximize crop growth and yield. This scarcity in water for agricultural production in these regions is further exacerbated by climate change and the associated events of frequent and intensive droughts that cause a reduction in water resources in semiarid and arid regions [2,3]. Therefore, alternative approaches must be sought and incorporated into traditional water management practices to ensure sustainable agricultural production from these water-scarce environments.…”

“…Therefore, alternative approaches must be sought and incorporated into traditional water management practices to ensure sustainable agricultural production from these water-scarce environments. One suitable and sustainable approach to agricultural production in water-scarce regions is the utilization of alternative water resources in the form of the large quantity of wastewater generated from municipalities [3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. The benefits of utilizing reclaimed wastewater are multiple, in that it provides a reliable year-round source of water for crop production [3], crop yield optimization through the provision of nutrients such as N, P, and K [9][10][11], reduced demand on fossil fuel for synthetic fertilizer production, minimize fertilizer input cost [3], increase crop farm profit margins [12], and enhance environmental conservation due to a reduction in synthetic fertilizer use [13].…”

“…However, even though reclaimed wastewater is treated at many water treatment plants to reduce the concentration of biogenic compounds such as P and N, the sheer volume of wastewater applied to croplands (10,600 to 14,006 m 3 of water applied ha −1 year −1 ) resulted in agronomic surpluses. This inevitably leads to soil P built-up, increased movement of P below the plow layer, and subsequently leaching into surface and groundwater [14][15][16][17].…”