Wastewater quality for reuse in irrigated agriculture

Abstract

Irrigation is a technique that aims at increasing agricultural productivity. In Brazil, an increment of 45% of the irrigated area is predicted until 2030 (from 6.95 million hectares-Mha to 10 Mha), resulting in an increase in water demand. In this context, the reuse of wastewater can be an effective alternative to prevent problems of water availability in irrigated agriculture; however, it is necessary to analyze the water quality to better determine the irrigation methods to be used. This paper presents a review about the parameters that could be analyzed for an adequate interpretation of the wastewater quality for agricultural reuse. The revised literature reveals that the parameters analyzed for characterization of water quality could be related to their effects on soil, crop, irrigation system management, and potential risks to public health.