Effect of Effluent Quality and Application Method on Agricultural Productivity and Environmental Control

Abstract

Field studies were undertaken in recent years to confirm the hypothesis that treated secondary wastewater can be disposed by using it in drip systems for irrigation of edible crops. This hypothesis was examined in field experiments conducted with the treated domestic wastewater of the city of Beer-Sheva, Israel. The results indicated that contamination of the soil surface and plants was minimal when subsurface drip irrigation was applied, but maximal when sprinkler irrigation was utilized.