Impact assessment of treated wastewater reuse for irrigation: growth potential and development of lettuce in Al Hoceima province, Morocco

Abstract

The reuse of treated wastewater for agricultural practices is becoming increasingly important due to the growing demand for the transition to a circular economy. It has the major advantage of providing an alternative resource to the conventional water used for agricultural irrigation. The main objective of this work is to study, through tests on experimental installations, the effect of the type of irrigation water on the growth and development of lettuce. The types of irrigation water were prepared from purified wastewater, treated wastewater plus fertilizer, conventional water, and conventional water plus fertilizer. The physicochemical analyzes of wastewater from the Imzouren-Bni Bouayach WWTP resulted in different values of the parameters measured (pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, oxygen below, suspended matter, BOD5, COD, nitrate, nitrite and phosphorus) which fall within the limited range of direct discharges and comply with Moroccan standards for the quality of water intended for irrigation. The results of the characterization of the soil showed that it is a basic soil (pH= 8.5), unsalted (electrical conductivity = 2.43 ms/cm) and poor in organic and nutrient elements (Carbon 0.8%, organic matter 1.46%, nitrogen 0.06 mg/l, phosphorus 10.5 mg/l, potassium 56.4 mg/l.) The main results of the plant analysis show that the production level of this study crop irrigated with conventional water is similar to that of this study crop irrigated with treated wastewater. In other words, irrigation with treated wastewater allows lettuce to guarantee irrigated production at least at the level of conventional water. Another motivated addition of nitrogen, phosphate and potash mineral supplement in the treated wastewater improves the production potential of lettuce.

Reuse of wastewater for irrigation of coriander in Morocco: Evaluation of effects on crop growth parameters

“…These results align with the findings reported by Lahmani et al (2015), which demonstrated that the inclusion of mineral supplements in treated wastewater enhances coriander plant productivity. Similarly, Bel Haj et al (2023) and Urbano et al (2017) observed that incorporating mineral fertilizers into treated wastewater promoted growth parameters in lettuce.…”

“…In January 2018, a rehabilitation and restructuring project was initiated to increase the nominal flow from 4616 to 10,800 m 3 /d. The plant has a potential of irrigating 150,000 ha À1 yr À1 and spans a zone of 18 ha (Bel Haj et al, 2023). The employed treatment method encompasses biological treatment using activated sludge with a low organic load, incorporating microfiltration, and subsequent disinfection utilizing downstream ultraviolet light.…”

Real-time soil monitoring and irrigation system for taro yam cultivation

“…The agricultural industry contributes significantly to water waste, as watering and harvesting crops consume substantial amounts of water [14], [15]. This level of water consumption can be classified as a waste that needs to be addressed, as clean water resources are essential for people's daily lives, not just for agriculture.…”