Recycled wastewater for landscape irrigation
Helping cities manage water conservation
In water resource-limited regions like Colorado, using recycled wastewater for landscape irrigation is a viable means of coping with potable water shortages. To conserve water, more urban areas
are turning to recycled wastewater for landscape irrigation. Every day during the growing season, up to 40 million gallons of potable water is saved because many landscape facilities a long the Front Range of Colorado are using reclaimed wastewater for irrigation.
However, water reuse poses problems because some of the chemicals from soaps, detergents, and water softening agents reduce quality, and cannot be removed with conventional wastewater treatments. Yaling Qian, associate professor in Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, is studying the impacts of recycled wastewater irrigation on urban landscape plants and soils and identifying proper management practices. In the study, researchers have compared sites where surface water has been used for irrigation to those that have been irrigated with recycled wastewater for various lengths of time (five to 33 years). Researchers found there are profound impacts of using recycled wastewater over long periods of time. Municipal water providers recognize the potential problems and are collaborating with Qian and her colleagues to develop management technologies to mitigate elevated levels of salts and to select salt tolerant turfgrass and other ornamental plants.
As water conservation continues to be a priority across the country, new understanding of how plants and soils respond to recycled wastewater irrigation -- and identifying proper management practices -- are critical to cities, developers, landowners and citizens.
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