OPTAGUA Operational Group: Control of reclaimed water for agricultural use: food safety and marketing

The general objective of water recovery and reuse is the capture of water from alternative sources, such as treated municipal or industrial wastewater, in order to restore it at least for irrigation. This is a pressing need in Spain and in the Spanish Southeast, especially Almería and the Segura basin, where most of the fruits and vegetables from protected and high-value crops are produced, and with a water deficit in both areas that is trying to be resolved by different means, among which the use of reclaimed water stands out.

The Segura basin currently reuses most of its treated wastewater, and in Andalusia, 130 hm3 are planned to be reused in the coming years, according to the recently approved Hydrological Plans.

The structural water shortage in most of Spain forces the search for supply sources to cover the resource deficit. Currently, existing tertiary water purification treatments that meet demanding quality standards are scarce (advanced oxidation, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis) and are rarely implemented in WWTPs, due to the high investment required and the currently high operating costs compared to conventional treatment.