ABSTRACT
There is a great challenge ahead to produce more food for increasing population using from less and less water, because the demand of domestic and industrial water consumption is increasing. Agriculture sector is in completion with allocation of fresh water. Contrarily, increasing urbanization is resulting in increasing domestic wastewater (WW) generation. Currently, partially treated and untreated WW is discharged into rivers or lands causing various environmental concerns. On the other hand, WW is beneficial, if it is scientifically used for irrigation as it can act as an important source of water and nutrient [19]. Although WW has been used to irrigate crops, rangelands, forests, parks and golf courses in many parts of the world [1], yet unrestricted irrigation may expose the public to a variety of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, or helminthes and exposure to heavy metals. The factors that influence the use of WW for irrigation are: the degree of wastewater treatment, the crop type and its use (e.g., human consumption or not, consumption after cooking, animal consumption fresh or sun-dried, etc.), the degree of contact with WW, and the irrigation method. Therefore, it is preferable to have the irrigation method having specific characteristics to minimize the various risks namely plant toxicity due to direct contact between leaves and water; salt accumulation in the root zone; health hazards related to aerosol spraying and direct contact with irrigators and product consumers; water body contamination due to excessive water loss by runoff and percolation [18]. In this sense, use of WW to agricultural crops through micro irrigation system is the safest way to manage WW resource [4].
