Achieving Sustainable Agriculture with Treated Municipal Wastewater
A pilot field study was conducted at the Jagjeetpur
Municipal Sewage treatment plant situated in the Haridwar town in
Uttarakhand state, India. The objectives of the present study were to
study the effect of treated wastewater on the production of various
paddy varieties (Sharbati, PR-114, PB-1, Menaka, PB1121 and PB
1509) and the emission of GHG gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O) as
compared to the same varieties grown in the control plots irrigated
with fresh water. Of late, the concept of water footprint assessment
has emerged, which explains enumeration of various types of water
footprints of an agricultural entity from its production to processing
stages. Paddy, the most water demanding staple crop of Uttarakhand
state, displayed a high green water footprint value of 2474.12 m3/
Ton. Most of the wastewater irrigated varieties displayed up to 6%
increase in production, except Menaka and PB-1121, which showed a
reduction in production (6% and 3% respectively), due to pest and
insect infestation. The treated wastewater was observed to be rich in
Nitrogen (55.94 mg/ml Nitrate), Phosphorus (54.24 mg/ml) and
Potassium (9.78 mg/ml), thus rejuvenating the soil quality and not
requiring any external nutritional supplements. A Percentage increase
of GHG gases of irrigation with treated municipal wastewater as
compared to control plots was observed as 0.4% - 8.6% (CH4), 1.1%
- 9.2% (CO2), and 0.07% - 5.8% (N2O). The variety, Sharbati,
displayed maximum production (5.5 ton/ha) and emerged as the most
resistant variety against pests and insects. The emission values of
CH4, CO2 and N2O were 729.31 mg/m2/d, 322.10 mg/m2/d and
400.21 mg/m2/d in water stagnant condition.
This study highlighted a successful possibility of reuse of
wastewater for non-potable purposes offering the potential for
exploiting this resource that can replace or reduce the existing use of
fresh water sources in agriculture sector.
[1] IWMI.,World’s water supply and demand 1995–2025. International
Water Management Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2000.
[2] Drechsel P, Keraita B, Amoah P, Abaidoo RC, Raschid-Sally L, Bahri
A., Reducing health risks from wastewater use in urban and peri-urban
sub-Saharan Africa: applying the 2006 WHO guidelines. Water Science
& Technology 57 (9), 2008.
[3] Govindarajan, S., N. K. Ambujam, and K. Karunakaran, Estimation of
paddy water productivity (WP) using hydrological model: an
experimental study. Paddy and Water Environment, 6: 327-339, 2008.
[4] Tuong, T. P. and B. A. M. Bouman, Rice production in water-scarce
environments. In J. Kinje, R. Baker and D. Molden (Eds.), Water
productivity in agriculture: limits and opportunities for improvement,
CABI Press, Wallingford, UK, 2003.
[5] IWMI, Urban Wastewater: A Valuable Resource for Agriculture: A Case
Study from Haroonabad, Pakistan: Research Report 63: International
Water Management Institute (IWMI): Colombo Sri Lanka, 21, 2002.
[6] Kang, M.S., S.M. Kim, S.W. Park, J. J. Lee, and K. H. Yoo, Assessment
of reclaimed wastewater irrigation impacts on water quality, soil, and
rice cultivation in paddy fields. Journal of Environmental Science and
Health Part A, 42: 439-445, 2007.
[7] Jang, T. I., S. B. Lee, C. H. Sung, H. P. Lee, and S. W Park, Safe
application of reclaimed water reuse for agriculture in Korea. Paddy and
Water Environment, 8: 227-233, 2010.
[8] Jang, T. I., H. K. Kim, C. H. Sung, E. J. Lee, and S. W. Park, Assessing
nutrient losses of reclaimed wastewater irrigation in paddy fields for
sustainable agriculture. Agricultural Water Management, 104: 235-243,
2012.
[9] Jang, T. I., Environmental effects of reclaimed wastewater irrigation on
paddy fields. Doctoral Dissertation, Seoul National University, Seoul,
Korea (in Korean), 2009.
[10] Jang, T. I., S. W. Park, and H. K. Kim, Environmental effects analysis of
a wastewater reuse system for agriculture in Korea. Water Science and
Technology, 8: 37-42, 2008.
[11] Exall, K.; Marsalek, J.; Schaefer, K. A review of water reuse and
recycling, with reference to Canadian practice and potential: 1.
Incentives and implementation. Water Qual. Res J Can. 39(1), 1–12,
2004.
[12] Iglesias, R.; Ortega, E. Present and future of wastewater reuse in Spain.
Desalination, 218, 205–119, 2008
[13] Hamilton,D.L.; Brockman, R.P.; Knipfer, J.E.,The agricultural use of
municipal sewage. Can. J. Physiol. Pharm, 1984, 62, 1049–1055.
[14] V´azquez-Montiel, O.; Horan, N.J.; Mara, D.D. Management of
domestic wastewater for reuse in irrigation. Water Sci. Technol. 33(10–
11), 355–362, 1996.
[15] Pettygrove, G.S.; Asano, T. Irrigation with Reclaimed Municipal
Wastewater. A Guidance Manual; Lewis: Chelsea, MI, 1985.
[16] Sheikh, B.; Cort, R.P.; Kirkpatrick, W.R.; Jaques, R.S.; Asano, T.
Monterrey wastewater reclamation study by agriculture. Res. J. Water
Pollut. (C). 62, 216–226, 1990.
[17] Castro, E.; Ma˜ nas, P.; De las Heras, J. Nitrate content in lettuce
Lactuca sativa L.) after fertilization with sewage sludge and treated
wastewater irrigation. Food Addit. Contam , 26 (2), 172–179, 2009
[18] Bastos, R.K.X.; Mara, D.D. The bacterial quality of salad crops drip and
furrow irrigated with waste stabilization pond effluent: an evaluation of
the WHO guideline. Water Sci. Technol., 31(12), 425–430, 1995.
[19] Hoekstra, A.Y., Chapagin, A.K., Aldaya, M.M., Mekonnen, M.M.,
Water footprint manual: state of the art 2009. Water Footprint Network,
Enschede, the Netherlands, 2009.
[20] Cai, Z., Xing, G., Yan, X., Xu, H., Tsuruta, H., Yagi, K., Minami, K. ,
Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from rice paddy fields as affected
by nitrogen fertilizers and water management. Plant Soil 196, 7–14,1997
[21] Chen ZS,Relationship between heavy metal concentrations in soils of
Taiwan and uptake by crops, Department of Agricultural Chemistry,
National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan, Roc, Internet p. 15,
2000.
[1] IWMI.,World’s water supply and demand 1995–2025. International
Water Management Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2000.
[2] Drechsel P, Keraita B, Amoah P, Abaidoo RC, Raschid-Sally L, Bahri
A., Reducing health risks from wastewater use in urban and peri-urban
sub-Saharan Africa: applying the 2006 WHO guidelines. Water Science
& Technology 57 (9), 2008.
[3] Govindarajan, S., N. K. Ambujam, and K. Karunakaran, Estimation of
paddy water productivity (WP) using hydrological model: an
experimental study. Paddy and Water Environment, 6: 327-339, 2008.
[4] Tuong, T. P. and B. A. M. Bouman, Rice production in water-scarce
environments. In J. Kinje, R. Baker and D. Molden (Eds.), Water
productivity in agriculture: limits and opportunities for improvement,
CABI Press, Wallingford, UK, 2003.
[5] IWMI, Urban Wastewater: A Valuable Resource for Agriculture: A Case
Study from Haroonabad, Pakistan: Research Report 63: International
Water Management Institute (IWMI): Colombo Sri Lanka, 21, 2002.
[6] Kang, M.S., S.M. Kim, S.W. Park, J. J. Lee, and K. H. Yoo, Assessment
of reclaimed wastewater irrigation impacts on water quality, soil, and
rice cultivation in paddy fields. Journal of Environmental Science and
Health Part A, 42: 439-445, 2007.
[7] Jang, T. I., S. B. Lee, C. H. Sung, H. P. Lee, and S. W Park, Safe
application of reclaimed water reuse for agriculture in Korea. Paddy and
Water Environment, 8: 227-233, 2010.
[8] Jang, T. I., H. K. Kim, C. H. Sung, E. J. Lee, and S. W. Park, Assessing
nutrient losses of reclaimed wastewater irrigation in paddy fields for
sustainable agriculture. Agricultural Water Management, 104: 235-243,
2012.
[9] Jang, T. I., Environmental effects of reclaimed wastewater irrigation on
paddy fields. Doctoral Dissertation, Seoul National University, Seoul,
Korea (in Korean), 2009.
[10] Jang, T. I., S. W. Park, and H. K. Kim, Environmental effects analysis of
a wastewater reuse system for agriculture in Korea. Water Science and
Technology, 8: 37-42, 2008.
[11] Exall, K.; Marsalek, J.; Schaefer, K. A review of water reuse and
recycling, with reference to Canadian practice and potential: 1.
Incentives and implementation. Water Qual. Res J Can. 39(1), 1–12,
2004.
[12] Iglesias, R.; Ortega, E. Present and future of wastewater reuse in Spain.
Desalination, 218, 205–119, 2008
[13] Hamilton,D.L.; Brockman, R.P.; Knipfer, J.E.,The agricultural use of
municipal sewage. Can. J. Physiol. Pharm, 1984, 62, 1049–1055.
[14] V´azquez-Montiel, O.; Horan, N.J.; Mara, D.D. Management of
domestic wastewater for reuse in irrigation. Water Sci. Technol. 33(10–
11), 355–362, 1996.
[15] Pettygrove, G.S.; Asano, T. Irrigation with Reclaimed Municipal
Wastewater. A Guidance Manual; Lewis: Chelsea, MI, 1985.
[16] Sheikh, B.; Cort, R.P.; Kirkpatrick, W.R.; Jaques, R.S.; Asano, T.
Monterrey wastewater reclamation study by agriculture. Res. J. Water
Pollut. (C). 62, 216–226, 1990.
[17] Castro, E.; Ma˜ nas, P.; De las Heras, J. Nitrate content in lettuce
Lactuca sativa L.) after fertilization with sewage sludge and treated
wastewater irrigation. Food Addit. Contam , 26 (2), 172–179, 2009
[18] Bastos, R.K.X.; Mara, D.D. The bacterial quality of salad crops drip and
furrow irrigated with waste stabilization pond effluent: an evaluation of
the WHO guideline. Water Sci. Technol., 31(12), 425–430, 1995.
[19] Hoekstra, A.Y., Chapagin, A.K., Aldaya, M.M., Mekonnen, M.M.,
Water footprint manual: state of the art 2009. Water Footprint Network,
Enschede, the Netherlands, 2009.
[20] Cai, Z., Xing, G., Yan, X., Xu, H., Tsuruta, H., Yagi, K., Minami, K. ,
Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from rice paddy fields as affected
by nitrogen fertilizers and water management. Plant Soil 196, 7–14,1997
[21] Chen ZS,Relationship between heavy metal concentrations in soils of
Taiwan and uptake by crops, Department of Agricultural Chemistry,
National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan, Roc, Internet p. 15,
2000.
@article{"International Journal of Biological, Life and Agricultural Sciences:70282", author = "Reshu Yadav and Himanshu Joshi and S. K.Tripathi", title = "Achieving Sustainable Agriculture with Treated Municipal Wastewater", abstract = "A pilot field study was conducted at the Jagjeetpur
Municipal Sewage treatment plant situated in the Haridwar town in
Uttarakhand state, India. The objectives of the present study were to
study the effect of treated wastewater on the production of various
paddy varieties (Sharbati, PR-114, PB-1, Menaka, PB1121 and PB
1509) and the emission of GHG gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O) as
compared to the same varieties grown in the control plots irrigated
with fresh water. Of late, the concept of water footprint assessment
has emerged, which explains enumeration of various types of water
footprints of an agricultural entity from its production to processing
stages. Paddy, the most water demanding staple crop of Uttarakhand
state, displayed a high green water footprint value of 2474.12 m3/
Ton. Most of the wastewater irrigated varieties displayed up to 6%
increase in production, except Menaka and PB-1121, which showed a
reduction in production (6% and 3% respectively), due to pest and
insect infestation. The treated wastewater was observed to be rich in
Nitrogen (55.94 mg/ml Nitrate), Phosphorus (54.24 mg/ml) and
Potassium (9.78 mg/ml), thus rejuvenating the soil quality and not
requiring any external nutritional supplements. A Percentage increase
of GHG gases of irrigation with treated municipal wastewater as
compared to control plots was observed as 0.4% - 8.6% (CH4), 1.1%
- 9.2% (CO2), and 0.07% - 5.8% (N2O). The variety, Sharbati,
displayed maximum production (5.5 ton/ha) and emerged as the most
resistant variety against pests and insects. The emission values of
CH4, CO2 and N2O were 729.31 mg/m2/d, 322.10 mg/m2/d and
400.21 mg/m2/d in water stagnant condition.
This study highlighted a successful possibility of reuse of
wastewater for non-potable purposes offering the potential for
exploiting this resource that can replace or reduce the existing use of
fresh water sources in agriculture sector.", keywords = "Greenhouse gases, nutrients, water footprint,
wastewater irrigation.", volume = "9", number = "6", pages = "644-4", }