Evaluation of Wastewater Quality Compared to Well Water in Irrigation

Abstract

Water resources’ scarcity and increasing demand for water consumption have necessitated the use of unconventional water for optimized and sus-tainable consumption of water resources. The present project1 was con-ducted to investigate effects of domestic wastewater in comparison to well water, in a randomized complete block design with four treatments in three replications during three years. Concentrations of cations and anions in soil and plants as well as plants’ fresh and dry weight were measured in the present research per harvesting time. Results showed that the concentration of elements in alfalfa was higher in treatments being irrigated with wastewater resulting in the significant differences in nitrogen, phosphorus, sodium and chloride. The mean of elements’ concentration at soil with the depth of 0 - 30 cm in wastewater treatments was much more than those treatments irrigated with groundwater. Concentrations of elements in wastewater treatment with the depth of 30 - 60 cm were higher than well water treatments. Electrical conductivity, pH, total nitrogen, copper and iron significantly differed in different years and different treatments. Treatments irrigated with wastewater showed higher yield compared to treatments irrigated with well water (29,158 and 1252.5 kg per ha). Using wastewater of domestic treatment plant increased production per unit area and subsequently increased elements concentration in soil and plant.