Wastewater: A Resource for Agriculture

The use of urban wastewater in agriculture, which is a centuries old practice, is becoming more important under the increasing scarcity of freshwater resources faced by many arid and semi-arid countries. There are many advantages in using urban wastewater in agriculture and it can be seen as a combined strategy for conservation of water, recycling of nutrients, thereby reducing the need for farmers to invest in chemical fertilizer, and provision of a reliable water supply to farmers particularly in low-income areas. These advantages for farmers, municipalities and society in general have to be weighed against the disadvantages of using wastewater for irrigation.