Masdar Institute in UAE looks to use treated wastewater for irrigation

Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in the UAE has started a research project which looks to use treated wastewater for irrigation.

The new technology, if successfully developed, is expected to eliminate the need for using desalinated water in irrigation, and can help the country to ensure water security.

The approach will free up desalinated water for domestic use, while treated wastewater can be used for other purposes, including agriculture and cooling, resulting in saving.

The research team included Masdar Institute Water and Environmental Engineering associate professor Dr. Farrukh Ahmad, Computing and Information Science assistant professor Dr. Andreas Henschel, Chemical and Environmental Engineering assistant professor Dr. Jorge Rodriguez, and research engineer Yamrot Amha.

Project lead Farrukh Ahmad said: "Agriculture accounts for nearly 60 percent of Abu Dhabi’s water consumption.

"The use of treated effluent for irrigation could free-up Abu Dhabi’s limited freshwater for our drinking and washing needs, while providing more water for agriculture, enhancing both food and water security. Essentially, it could be a win-win situation."

The researchers will conduct thorough tests to ensure the quality of treated water and its microbiological components. The study will determine the necessity for additional cleaning of the treated wastewater in order to make sure that it is safe for edible crops.

Ahmad said: "The treated effluent we are targeting is the wastewater that has undergone a conventional treatment process followed by chlorine disinfection, a process that removes much of the organic and biological contaminants in wastewater.

"While conventional treatment and chlorine remove most biological contamination, they do not necessarily render the water safe for potable consumption, or for edible crop irrigation."

Masdar Institute will implement next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) technology to check for the presence of disease-causing bacteria, or pathogens in the treated effluent.

Pathogen tests for the project will be conducted at three different stages at the treatment facility.

Use of treated effluent for edible crops is expected to promote UAE’s demand for sustainable water and food, through a cost and energy efficient process.

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Image: Researchers at Masdar Institute of Science and Technology to develop wastewater treatment technology. Photo: Courtesy of Masdar Institute