Wastewater ferti-irrigation: an eco-technology for sustainable agriculture

Water is essential for economic growth of a nation, sustained environmental development and for the survival of every living organism on earth. Due to rapid population growth the freshwater resources are receding at an alarming rate, creating a crucial condition of water shortage worldwide. Further, the unregulated industrial and agricultural expansion is also imparting the pressure on fresh water resulting in huge amount of wastewater. Disposal of this untreated wastewater in an aquatic ecosystem (like river, ponds, ocean, etc.) results in serious impairment of that system. However, with proper treatment it may be utilized for various fruitful activities like industrial processing, landscape irrigation, agricultural irrigation (Wastewater ferti-irrigation), etc., and can help in overcoming water shortage. Wastewater is a low expense option for irrigation in areas where water availability is very limited. The high nutrient content in wastewater can be utilized as nutrients for crops, reducing the extra cost of fertilizers. Moreover, the rivers and other aquatic ecosystems will also be spared from wastewater disposal. To reuse wastewater, proper treatment is essential which require a suitable, ecofriendly, cost-effective and efficient method usable by the small scale industries or by small towns/villages. Since there is lack of awareness among farmers, they don't accept the approach of utilizing wastewater for irrigation fearing to lose yield both quantitatively and qualitatively. This review paper will focus on the various aspects of wastewater reuse that may help government to formulate proper policies for the effective utilization of wastewater in agriculture.