TY - JOUR
T1 - Sustainable wastewater reuse for agriculture
AU - Christou, Anastasis
AU - Beretsou, Vasiliki G.
AU - Iakovides, Iakovos C.
AU - Karaolia, Popi
AU - Michael, Costas
AU - Benmarhnia, Tarik
AU - Chefetz, Benny
AU - Donner, Erica
AU - Gawlik, Bernd Manfred
AU - Lee, Yunho
AU - Lim, Teik Thye
AU - Lundy, Lian
AU - Maffettone, Roberta
AU - Rizzo, Luigi
AU - Topp, Edward
AU - Fatta-Kassinos, Despo
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Springer Nature Limited 2024.
PY - 2024/7
Y1 - 2024/7
N2 - Effective management of water resources is crucial for global food security and sustainable development. In this Review, we explore the potential benefits and challenges associated with treated wastewater (TW) reuse for irrigation. Currently, 400 km3 yr−1 of wastewater is generated globally, but <20% is treated, and of that TW, only 2–15% is reused for irrigation depending on region. The main limitation of TW for irrigation is the inability of current treatment technologies to completely remove all micropollutants and contaminants of emerging concern, some of which have unknown impacts on crops, environment and health. However, advanced water treatment and reuse schemes, supported by water quality monitoring and regulations, can provide a stable water supply for agricultural production, as demonstrated in regions such as the USA and Israel. Such schemes could potentially serve a net energy source, as the embedded energy in wastewater exceeds treatment needs by 9 to 10 times. Agriculturally useful nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium could be also recovered and reused. TW reuse for irrigation could act as a major contributor to a circular economy and sustainable development, but the first steps will be funding and implementation of advanced and sustainable treatment technologies and social acceptance.
AB - Effective management of water resources is crucial for global food security and sustainable development. In this Review, we explore the potential benefits and challenges associated with treated wastewater (TW) reuse for irrigation. Currently, 400 km3 yr−1 of wastewater is generated globally, but <20% is treated, and of that TW, only 2–15% is reused for irrigation depending on region. The main limitation of TW for irrigation is the inability of current treatment technologies to completely remove all micropollutants and contaminants of emerging concern, some of which have unknown impacts on crops, environment and health. However, advanced water treatment and reuse schemes, supported by water quality monitoring and regulations, can provide a stable water supply for agricultural production, as demonstrated in regions such as the USA and Israel. Such schemes could potentially serve a net energy source, as the embedded energy in wastewater exceeds treatment needs by 9 to 10 times. Agriculturally useful nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium could be also recovered and reused. TW reuse for irrigation could act as a major contributor to a circular economy and sustainable development, but the first steps will be funding and implementation of advanced and sustainable treatment technologies and social acceptance.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85195288175&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s43017-024-00560-y
DO - 10.1038/s43017-024-00560-y
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AN - SCOPUS:85195288175
SN - 2662-138X
VL - 5
SP - 504
EP - 521
JO - Nature Reviews Earth and Environment
JF - Nature Reviews Earth and Environment
IS - 7
ER -
