Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Tarım Bilimleri Dergisi, vol.32, no.3, pp.497-506, 2022 (Scopus)
Increasing pressure on water
resources in the world has revealed the necessity of using marginal water
resources in irrigation. With the use of wastewater, which is one of the
marginal water resources, the pressure on freshwater resources is alleviated,
the discharge problems of wastewater are solved, and soil and crop productivity
increase with the high nutritive effect of wastewater. However, salinity, heavy
metals, some harmful chemicals, and the pathogen risks of wastewater should not
be ignored. In this context, in this study, the effluent of the wastewater
treatment plant located in the central Edremit district of Van province was
evaluated in terms of usability in irrigation. Samples were taken from treated
wastewater during the vegetation period in 2020 and 2021 and pH, EC, cation and
anions, micro elements and heavy metal, total nitrogen and phosphorus, total
suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, fecal
coliform, percent sodium, sodium adsorption rate, residual sodium carbonate,
and Langelier saturation index were determined by analysis and calculations. As
a result of the study, the treated wastewater does not pose a risk in terms of
pH, EC, cation and anions, micro elements and heavy metal, total suspended
solids, percent sodium, sodium adsorption rate, residual sodium carbonate,
langelier saturation index and fecal coliform, but attention should be paid to
the total nitrogen and phosphorus, chemical and biological oxygen demand
contents. It was concluded that the treated wastewater is in compliance with
national and international standards, and there is no harm in its use in
irrigation and thus, treated wastewater can
be recommended as a reliable water source for irrigation in the semi-arid
province of Van/Edremit. However, in order to ensure safe and sustainable
management in irrigation with wastewater, it is necessary to monitor water
quality and make necessary inspections of soil, crop,s and irrigation systems.