SSS8

Treated waste water reuse for soil irrigation. Modification of soil properties
Convener: Fuensanta García-Orenes  | Co-Conveners: Marcos Lado , Erik van den Elsen 
Oral Programme
 / Thu, 23 Apr, 10:30–12:00  / Room 24
Poster Programme
 / Attendance Thu, 23 Apr, 17:30–19:00  / Hall A

The shortage of water in many regions of the world is one of main environmental global problem. For this reason strategies for saving water are necessary, specially in agriculture. The use of treated waste water for the irrigation of agricultural land is a good solution for save water because reduces the utilization of fresh water and can improve key soil parameters, thus influencing crop production in a positive way. The treated waste waters are rich in organic matter and could provide and additional input of nutrients and organic matter, improving soil properties and increasing in medium-term, the storage of organic carbon in soil. The irrigation of soil with this type of water can have direct effect on soil chemical, physical and biological parameters as mineral macro and micro nutrient contents, soil pH, soil buffer capacity, cation exchange capacity, infiltration capacity, etc. However the utilization of treated waste water can produces negative effects on soils such as heavy metal accumulation, increased of soil salinity as a consequence of high electrical conductivity of water, appearance of pathogens, and also some organic components presents in waste water, can induce the appearance of water repellence in soil. The different modifications of soil due to the irrigation with treated waste water mainly depends of the type of waste water, the type of treatment, the type of irrigation and the type of soil. To use treated waste water in the irrigation of soil is necessary to make a closely monitoring of the water used and the soil quality to guarantee minimal negative impact on soil. This session is devoted to show different experiment and results related with the effects of the utilization of treated waste water as a resource for saving water.