Post by Wageningen Food & Biobased Research

🥔💧 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 Our water technologist Erik Vriezekolk investigates if treated sewage could be a safe future source for irrigating farmland. ‘The government is looking at how to design legislation to allow the reuse of this water for irrigation, with input of our research results.’ 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Despite all the purification steps, water from sewage treatment plants still contains low concentrations of compounds and organisms that are harmful to the environment and possibly also to human health. Our study looks at pesticides, drugs, hormones and medicines. A total of 84 of such substances were found in the treated sewage. We tested the effects of additional purification of this water with the aid of ozone and UV. Erik: ‘Extra purification is very effective: 56 substances were no longer found at all. And concentrations of the other 28 compounds had fallen by between 20% and nearly 100%.’ 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗯 We then set up an experiment with potatoes, onions and pears. Far fewer compounds were left in the water after the additional purification, and they were only found in the plants in very small quantities. Our researcher explains: ‘You see a difference between irrigation using water treated only in the sewage treatment plant and water that received an extra treatment with ozone and UV.’ This research can provide a basis for future policy formulation. Water from sewage treatment is available year round. 'If we end up with extreme dry weather more often in future, this water could be a vital resource', Erik states. 🤝 In the EffluentFit4Food project, we work together with provincial authorities, water boards, agricultural organisations and companies that supply water technology. This experiment is the first step towards practical implementation.

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