Water Conservation and Resource Efficiency in Agriculture

The contribution of underutilized water sources, particularly wastewater, to crop irrigation allows to save freshwater resources, reduce the input of fertilizers, and at the same time prevent the contamination of water bodies produced by uncontrolled discharge. Wastewater reuse for fertigation of crops, feasible by means of frugal technologies, can lead to multiple social, economic, environmental, and climatic advantages, more pronounced in arid and semiarid areas. Controlled hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) processes are recommended for integration in wastewater treatment systems aimed at fertigation applications, due to their combined capabilities for effective and efficient removal of harmful organic micropollutants, including organic contaminants of emerging concern such as antibiotics, and disinfection of wastewater, while preserving organic matter and nutrients content, as required for fertigation purposes.