Estimating costs of quality changes in using waste water for irrigation

AMONG CURRENT ISSUES in water management, perhaps none is more critical than evaluating the use of waste water in irrigation. Waste water includes return flow irrigation water, treated municipal effluent, and low quality waste water from other miscellaneous sources. Opinions range from those which view such use as completely impracticable to those which view reclaimed water as superior to present water supplies. At issue is the possible cost penalty from increased salts and nutrients in reclaimed water used to replace present water.