ABSTRACT
One of the primary functions of soil is to buffer environmental change. This is the result of the biological, chemical, and physical processes that occur in soils. The soil matrix serves as an incubation chamber for decomposing organic wastes including pesticides, sewage, solid wastes, and many other wastes. Soils store, decompose, or immobilize nitrates, phosphorus, pesticides, and other substances that can become pollutants in air or water. Consequently, soil has, for centuries, been used for the application of sewage effluents. Sewage effluent provides farmers with a nutrient-enriched water supply and society with a reliable and inexpensive means of wastewater treatment and disposal. It should not, however, be assumed that irrigation is always the best solution for wastewater disposal. Disposal by irrigation should always be compared with alternative options based on environmental, social, and economic costs and benefits.
