Perspective on Land Treatment and Wastewater Reuse for Agriculture in the Western United States

Abstract

The practice of irrigation with municipal wastewater has evolved from avoidance of surface water pollution to beneficial reuse of water and nutrients for crop production. The ability of the soil to filter out pollutants and pathogens has been documented, such that groundwater quality is not degraded where recycled water to irrigate crops used for human consumption. The example of successful practice of the Castroville project in Monterey County, California illustrates safe reuse of recycled water for crop growth, marketing of crops grown into the fresh produce market, and groundwater protection. Impediments to the future more widespread reuse of recycled water for agricultural irrigation are also discussed. Many of the same technological advancements that have supported the development of modern agricultural water reuse projects have also improved the feasibility of various competing urban water reuse applications. The effects from increasing water scarcity has also had an impact on the quality and quantity of water available for agricultural water reuse projects. The historical practice of developing centralized and regional wastewater treatment facilities near a suitable surface water discharge location may need to be modified for better consideration of agricultural irrigation in integrated water resources planning.

Factors Affecting Wheat Producers’ Water Conservation Behavior: Evidence from Iran

“…As population growth continues around the world, there are many concerns about water scarcity. This trend shows the current need for saving water resources to prevent significant water shortages in the future [1,2]. In many countries, the scarcity of water resources places many constraints on the economic development of arid and semi-arid regions [3,4].…”

The WHO Guidelines for Safe Wastewater Use in Agriculture: A Review of Implementation Challenges and Possible Solutions in the Global South

“…As the cropping intensity in some wastewater irrigation settings reaches 3 crops/year (18,000 m 3 /ha), a lower estimate would be 0.7 million ha. The share of agricultural reuse can be much higher than 30%, like in Spain or Jordan (about 90%), but also lower (10-20%) like in China or, e.g., California [40,41] where reuse for urban (industrial processes, landscaping) or groundwater recharge are today dominant. Agricultural reuse is often disadvantaged as many urban areas are in coastal zones, far downstream from agricultural regions.…”