Recent practices on wastewater reuse in Turkey

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Water Resource Management
• Agricultural Engineering

Background:

• Wastewater reuse for irrigation is a global practice, particularly in developing countries due to high treatment costs.
• Direct reuse of untreated or partially treated wastewater faces socio-cultural and religious objections.
• Turkey's agricultural wastewater reuse involves indirect application from treatment plant outlets, impacting surface water quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline current wastewater reuse activities in Turkey as a case study from a developing country.
• To highlight the challenges and progress in agricultural and industrial wastewater reuse.
• To emphasize the importance of water quality monitoring and planned reuse strategies.

Main Methods:

• Review of current wastewater reuse practices in agriculture and industry in Turkey.
• Analysis of the impact of indirect reuse on surface water resources.
• Examination of the role of urban wastewater treatment plants in promoting conscious reuse.

Main Results:

• Agricultural reuse is established but historically lacked sufficient water quality control, leading to surface water deterioration.
• Recent implementation of urban wastewater treatment plants enables more conscious and planned agricultural reuse.
• Industrial wastewater reuse is primarily in the research phase, with in-plant water consumption control being a key strategy.

Conclusions:

• While Turkey currently avoids severe water scarcity, deteriorating water quality necessitates prioritizing water resource management.
• Planned wastewater reuse, supported by effective treatment and monitoring, is crucial for sustainable water resource management.
• Developing countries can learn from Turkey's experience in navigating the complexities of wastewater reuse.