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Sewage Water Reuse in Quality Vegetation: A Review on Potential, Current Challenges and Future Strategies

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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Considering the expanding globalization and urbanization of freshwater depletion, it is vital to recover and reuse wastewater for agricultural use. Although this approach is becoming more and more frequent in developed countries, it is still unusual in India due to insufficient municipal or/and industrial wastewater management facilities and treatment systems. The water quality used in crop cultivation has a major impact on agricultural productivity. In this review article, we evaluated the effects of the most significant variables on crop productivity like alkalinity, pH, soluble salts, etc. We have emphasized the geography, topology, and climatic conditions in India and how these factors synergistically affect water quality. The use of sewage water substantially enriches soils with macro- and micronutrients and soil salinity. However, the long-term usage of phosphate fertilizers, application of sewage sludge, and poor irrigation practices in agricultural fields lead to the accumulation of heavy metals. The paper concentrated on how a crop’s slow development and poor aesthetic qualities are affected by the water of poor quality. Before being used for irrigation, reclaimed water needs treatment since it may contain disease-causing microorganisms, solubilized salts, or residues of organic contaminants. The sewage treatment is more beneficial to soil fertility, and safety as treated sewage-irrigated soil has higher respiration intensity. We also focused on risk factors associated with wastewater utilization causing aggregation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and high-risk heavy metal uptake in soil. Some of the micropollutants entering the sewage water and emerging contaminants require attention. New technologies for their removal have been discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Government E. Raghavendra Rao Postgraduate Science College, Bilaspur, India

    Nidhi Tiwari, Uttara Tiwari & D. K. Shrivastava

  2. Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Government College, Pamgarh, India

    Ashish Tiwari

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  1. Nidhi Tiwari
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Significance statement: The article focuses on the increasing water stress and the need to reuse wastewater. The importance of wastewater utilization, major physicochemical parameters, and its impact on the growth of crops and vegetables is described.

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Tiwari, N., Tiwari, U., Shrivastava, D.K. et al. Sewage Water Reuse in Quality Vegetation: A Review on Potential, Current Challenges and Future Strategies. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. B Biol. Sci. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-023-01513-z

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