Water Scarcity and Wastewater Reuse in Crop Irrigation

Nicoleta Ungureanu, Valentin Vlăduț and Gheorghe Voicu
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Nicoleta Ungureanu: Department of Biotechnical Systems, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 006042 Bucharest, Romania
Valentin Vlăduț: National Institute of Research—Development for Machines and Installations Designed for Agriculture and Food Industry- INMA Bucharest, 013811 Bucharest, Romania
Gheorghe Voicu: Department of Biotechnical Systems, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 006042 Bucharest, Romania

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 21, 1-18

Abstract: Due to climate change, two-thirds of mankind will face water scarcity by 2025, while by 2050, global food production must increase by at least 50% to feed 9 billion people. To overcome water scarcity, 15 million m 3 /day of untreated wastewater is used globally for crop irrigation, polluting the soil with pathogens, heavy metals and excess salts. Since 10% of the global population consumes food from crops irrigated with wastewater, pathogens transmitted through the food chain cause diseases especially in young children and women. In this paper, we discuss the status of water scarcity and the challenges to food security, the reuse of wastewater in agriculture and the possible risks to human and environmental health. The efficiency of different irrigation systems in limiting the risks of wastewater reuse and the latest regulations of the European Commission on effluent recovery are also presented. Hence, we emphasize that irrigation offers real perspectives for large-scale recovery of wastewater, helping to reduce the deficit and conserve water resources, and increasing food safety, with the express mention that investments must be made in wastewater treatment plants and wastewater must be properly treated before recovery, to limit the risks on human health and the environment.

Keywords: agriculture; nutrients; pathogens; health risks; soil contamination; irrigation systems (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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