Health Quality

The analyzes have also evaluated the possible presence of contaminants and pathogenic microorganisms and their incidence in the crops.

"The agricultural use of reclaimed water ensures the sanitary quality of horticultural products and does not pose a risk to food safety, far exceeding the regulatory requirements ”. This has been assured by the director of the Sanitation and Wastewater Treatment Entity of the Region (Esamur), Ignacio Díaz, who has valued "very positively" the results of the joint research project between Esamur and the National Technological Center for Conservation and Food (CTNC).

Both entities have collaborated in the analysis to evaluate the quality of the reclaimed water, the possible presence of contaminants and pathogenic microorganisms and their impact on crops, as well as the influence of these compounds on the plant to assess whether there is transfer of contaminants in the plant. soil-plant system. In the analysis different crops have been valued, including broccoli, cauliflower or lettuce.

Excellent results

The results obtained show the excellent quality of treated water from a microbiological and physical point of view; an analysis aimed at certifying the quality of the water and compliance with the regulations regarding the minimum requirements for the reuse of water.

A regulation that establishes the quality parameters for the use of reclaimed water in agricultural irrigation, making the specific quality requirements, especially from a microbiological and sanitary point of view, very restrictive.

Quality parameters

To carry out the study, the microbiological and sanitary quality of the wastewater has been evaluated at the different points of the route it takes, from when it enters the Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) until it is reused as agricultural irrigation water, evaluating the quality of the soil and plant material.

The results of the study have been able to show that the emerging pollutants present in water are mainly of household origin, compared to pollutants of industrial origin.

In this way, the pollutants that leave the WWTP with the water do so at very low concentrations and have little impact when they are incorporated into the soil through irrigation. In addition, crops where the plant is in direct contact with irrigation water have not shown transfer to the plant, so it has been seen that food security is not altered.

Díaz remarked that “in the study it has been observed that the treatments carried out in the WWTPs ensure microbiological quality and that it is found above the requirements of the regulations, so that it does not affect the food and health safety of plant products ”.

Storage rafts

In addition, the results obtained have shown the beneficial role of storage ponds in irrigation systems and it has been shown that a correct management, handling and storage of hypochlorite and an adjusted and adequate addition of it during chlorination, together with other disinfection systems, not only ensures the correct disinfection of the water but also minimizes the contribution and generation of by-products. disinfection both at the outlet of the WWTP and at irrigation.