Is the use of recycled water for crop irrigation safe?
Yes. In a study of recycled water use by the Napa Sanitation District for vineyard irrigation, carried out by the University of California, it was concluded that the water “is suitable for vineyard irrigation” and that “there were no salinity or toxicity issues that would limit the use of this water.” Another study by the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency concluded that “the use of filtered secondary municipal water for irrigation of food crops consumed unprocessed is safe.” No viruses were found in samples of crops grown with recycled water and levels of naturally occurring bacteria were equivalent to those found in well water-irrigated crops. Additionally, the study showed that marketability, quality and yield of recycled water-irrigated crops were comparable to crops grown with other sources of water. Click the underlined links for more information.
