Water shortage has become an important issue for Korean agriculture. Korea suffers from a limited agricultural water supply, and wastewater reuse has been recommended as an alternative solution. This study examined the concentrations of toxic heavy metals and Escherichia coli in a paddy rice field irrigated with reclaimed wastewater to evaluate the risk to farmers. Most epidemiological studies have been based on upland fields, and therefore may not be directly applicable to paddy fields. In this study, a Beta-Poisson model was used to estimate the microbial risk of pathogen ingestion. The risk value increased significantly after irrigation and precipitation. The results of the microbial risk assessment showed that risk values of groundwater and reclaimed wastewater irrigation were lower than the values of effluent directly from wastewater treatment plants. The monitoring results of heavy metals for each irrigated paddy fields did not show specific tendency. A risk assessment for toxic heavy metals was performed according to various exposure pathways; however, the results of the carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risk estimation showed that the risk from reclaimed wastewater-irrigated paddy fields was the lowest.

Water stress has become a major concern in agriculture. Korea suffers from limited agricultural water supply, and wastewater reuse has been recommended as an alternative solution. A study was performed to examine the effects of microorganism concentration in the ponded-water of a paddy rice field with reclaimed-water irrigation for evaluating the microbial risk to farmers and neighborhood children. Most epidemiological studies were performed based on an upland field, and they may not directly applicable to paddy fields. Beta-Poisson model was used to estimate the microbial risk of pathogen ingestion. Their risk value increased significantly high level after irrigation and precipitation. It implies that agricultural activities such as plowing, and fertilizing, and precipitation need be practiced a few days after irrigation considering health risks. The results about field application of the microbial risk assessment using E. coli showed difference according to monitoring time and treatment plot. Result of the microbial risk assessment showed that risk values of groundwater and reclaimed secondary wastewater irrigation were lower than directly use of wastewater treatment plants' effluent. This paper should be viewed as a first step in the application of quantitative microbial risk assessment of E. coli to wastewater reuse in a paddy rice farming.

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The seasonal performance of four differently configured constructed wetland systems was compared for the treatment efficiency of nonpoint source pollution. Dead plants in the constructed wetlands increased the nitrogen removal rate during winter by providing organic carbon, which is essential for the denitrification process. However, when the wetlands released phosphorus from the dead plants, the removal rate of phosphorus decreased. After seven growing seasons, plant coverage was nearly 100%, and the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration was lowered to 1.3-5.4 mg/L. Open-water sections were then constructed inside the wetlands, which resulted in enhanced DO concentrations as well as improved treatment efficiency of nutrients and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). Overall, performance of the constructed wetland was improved BOD, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus with the establishment of open water sections in the constructed wetland system.

Since living environment has improved, waterfront space using and clear water demand have increased. Ministry of Environment (ME) designated polluted reservoir (worse than 4th grade) as a priority management reservoir to improve water quality (better than 3rd grade) accordingly. Minstry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) aims reservoir water quality 4th not 3rd grade. And water quality of agricultural reservoirs was not a great interest. For this reason, there are very few water quality monitoring data. However after designating as a priority management reservoir, reservoir manager should start water quality and flow monitoring of reservoirs and inflow streams. This process makes it possible setting complex model to accurate prediction of reservoir water quality and volume. Mulwang reservoir designated as a priority management reservoir in September 2014. In this study, BASINS/WinHSPF and EFDC-WASP were used to predict effect of water quality improvement countermeasures in Mulwang reservoir. To improve water quality of Mulwang reservoir, Siheung-si and Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRCC) established water quality improvement countermeasures. However result of simulation adapting these countermeasures cannot achieve 3rd grade. So 4 additional scenarios were adapted and the result satisfied 3rd grade. This study could help to establish water quality improvement countermeasure by using complex modeling.