Plant Uptake of Contaminants of Emerging Concern During Irrigation with Recycled Water

Recycled (or reclaimed) water is municipal wastewater treated to a sufficient quality for its intended purpose—a concept known as ‘fit-for-purpose’ reuse. In any region with impaired or scarce water resources, recycled water can be used to replace or augment existing water supplies. Potential applications range from power plant cooling to drinking water augmentation to agricultural irrigation. While the U.S. is considered a leader in potable reuse—the use of advanced treated recycled water as a drinking water supply—Israel has established itself as a leader in agricultural reuse. In fact, Israel now recycles 75% of its wastewater for use in agricultural applications (CONSERVE, 2019). This dramatically reduces the country’s reliance on scarce freshwater resources or costly water supply alternatives such as desalination. With global food demand expected to increase 70% by 2050 (UNESCO, 2012) and climate change expected to put further strain on freshwater supplies, agricultural reuse is slated for further expansion in the future.