Safe Use of Wastewater in Agriculture Through Bioremediation Processes

Abstract

Population growth, industrialisation, urbanisation, and climate change have created huge pressure on freshwater resources to fulfil the demand. Approx. 70-80% of the freshwater supply returns as wastewater, which is difficult to tackle and manage. We need to tackle the freshwater demand from different sectors like domestic, industrial, and agriculture. Most important is how to use the wastewater safely in agriculture. Therefore, it is an apt time to refocus on ways to recycle water especially in sectors like agriculture and for ecosystem services. The major concern in using wastewater in agriculture is its quality as the wastewater may carry pathogens, heavy metals, and many other pollutants, which might reach to human beings and animals via food chain. A solution to wastewater reuse is through bioremediation techniques. Bioremediation should be considered as a feasible and futuristic technology for safe use of wastewater in agriculture as it will reduce the burden on centralised water treatment system as well as it being economic and eco-friendly.