Irrigation with treated municipal wastewater in Indiana, United States

Excerpt

Land application of livestock waste and wastewater, and municipal biosolids, has long been practiced and accepted as a means of manure management for farms in Indiana; however, land application of treated municipal wastewater has gained little traction with policymakers, consultants, and farmers. The risks, benefits, and challenges of reusing livestock wastes and wastewater in agricultural production are largely the same as those of reusing municipal treated wastewater: public and farmer perception, cost of infrastructure, cost and challenges of adhering to policies, risks to groundwater, opportunities for increased agricultural productivity, and protection of riparian and coastal areas (Knight et al. 2000; Hawke and Summers 2006; Westerman and Bicudo 2005). Despite the common risks associated with exposure to both livestock wastes and municipal wastes, the general perception around the use of livestock wastes is more relaxed. Perhaps this is due in part to the familiarity with livestock wastes and their historic role in crop production, versus the relative lack of experience among farmers with using municipal wastewater and biosolids.

Examples of extraordinary efforts in treated wastewater reuse are present throughout the world. Singapore's NEWater facilities produce 30% of the nation's water needs by reclaiming domestic sewage through treatment with membrane bioreactors and…