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Water is crucial for all aspects of life, the defining feature of our planet. Ninety seven and a half per cent of all water is found in the oceans; of the remaining fresh water only one per cent is accessible for extraction and use. Functioning and healthy aquatic ecosystems provide us with a dazzling array of benefits – food, medicines, recreational amenity, and shore-line protection, processing our waste, and sequestering carbon.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the world faces a water crisis, both of quantity and quality, caused by continuous population growth, industrialization, food production practices, increased living standards and poor water use strategies. Many countries worldwide are entering a period of severe water shortage.
Increasing competition for water among urban centres, industry and irrigated agriculture together with rapidly growing populations will put current agricultural and irrigation practices under severe pressure because irrigation is by far the largest user of water. Rapid urbanization has led to a deterioration of living conditions, Investments in drinking water supply, sanitation, wastewater disposal and treatment facilities have not followed the pace of urbanization. As a result rivers, lakes and other freshwater bodies close to cities are polluted and downstream communities are forced to use unsafe water or treat the water at high cost. As freshwater sources become scarcer, wastewater use has become an attractive option for conserving and expanding available water supplies.
Agricultural consumption of water being the largest we need to find ways to fulfil the agricultural need without drying out our freshwater reserves. Treatment plants for purifying the waster waters though expensive are of great need when we want to satisfy the agricultural water requirements of the current and future times. While waste water use in agriculture has been taking place for decades, and even centuries, in countries like Mexico,
Vietnam and China, it is now receiving renewed recognition as a potential water source under conditions of increased freshwater scarcity.
With three major crop nutrients-nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium-present in waste water it seems evident that wastewater will benefit crop production. Several studies have shown the positive impact that wastewater has on crop production. Wastewater,

especially if it contains industrial effluent, can contain levels of nutrients, metals and other constitutes that are toxic for plant growth.
Concern for public health has been the most important constraint in the use of wastewater. Wastewater carries a wide spectrum of pathogenic organisms posing a risk to agricultural workers, crop handlers and consumers. High levels of nitrogen in wastewater may result in nitrate pollution of groundwater sources used for drinking, which could lead to adverse health effects. Accumulation of heavy metals in soils and its uptake by plants is another risk associated with wastewater irrigation.
On the other hand, wastewater is seen as a reliable water source, and crops are produced close to consumer markets so that perishable high-valued crops like vegetables can be grown. Because of the high levels of essential macronutrients—nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium—in wastewater, the additional application of chemical fertilizers becomes unnecessary, or can be considerably reduced.

Pakistan has now essentially exhausted its available water-resources and is on the verge of becoming a water-deficit country. The per-capita water availability has dropped from 5,600 m to 1,000 m. The public water-requirement has raised manifolds, as population is increasing, industry is growing and we are bringing more area under cultivation to meet the increasing demand for agriculture-products. The quality of groundwater and surfacewater is low and is further deteriorating because of unchecked disposal of untreated municipal and industrial wastewater and excessive use of fertilizers and insecticides
Pakistan’s current population of 170 million is expected to grow up to about 221 million by the year 2025, which was only 32.5 million at the time of independence in 1947.
This increase in population will have a direct impact on the water-sector for meeting the domestic, industrial and agricultural needs. The increasing population and continuous urbanization has posed serious threats to the limited natural resources of the country. The main reasons for declining water availability are the rapid population growth rate, depleting water storage facilities and contamination of the existing water resources due to discharge of untreated industrial and sewerage effluents into streams and rivers. Pakistan is now a water deficit country suffering from severe water shortfall and pollution problems.foot
A few decades ago, Pakistan was in the list of countries which had abundance of water resources but then World Bank report in 2008 stated that Pakistan is among the 17 countries that were facing water shortage then and the problem has increased many folds now. Major cities of Pakistan, on average, get 3-4 hours water supply which is only
2 hours in some of the small cities.
Along with the rapid depletion of water resources, one of the major water problems is the proper disposal of domestic and industrial waste water which is polluting the remaining water resources, affecting the human health, environment and agricultural productivity.
Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) conducted a detailed study on water quality in 23 major cities in all the four provinces of the country from
2002 to 2006. The results of this study revealed that an average of 84% – 89% of water sources throughout the country have water quality below the recommended standards

for human consumption. National statistics have revealed that 56% of the total population of Pakistan has access to safe drinking water in 23 major cities in all the four provinces of the country from 2002 to 2006. The results of this study revealed that an average of 84% – 89% of water sources throughout the country have water quality below the recommended standards for human consumption (PCRWR, 2008a). National statistics have revealed that 56% of the total population of Pakistan has access to safe drinking water.
It is estimated that, in Pakistan, only 1% of the industrial (MOE-PAK, 2005a) and
8% of urban waste water is treated before entering into the different water bodies (WB-
CWRAS, 2005).

The importance of waste water reuse in agriculture has positive effects on the crop yield and water conservation, many researchers have supported the stance referring to some here, the following reports highlight how treated wastewater increases the crop yield and fertility of the land being a lot more beneficial than normal fresh water.
“...Estimates on wastewater use worldwide indicate that about 20 million hectares of agricultural land is irrigated with (treated and untreated) wastewater....
...Agricultural benefits may include: reliable, and possibly less costly irrigation water supply; increased crop yields, often with larger increases than with freshwater due to the wastewater’s nutrient content; more secure and higher urban agricultural production, and contribution to food security; income and employment generation in urban areas; and improved livelihoods for urban agriculturalists and reduced requirements for artificial fertilizers....
....Waste water usage provides an additional drought-proof water supply, often with lower cost than expanding supplies through storage, transfers, or desalinization; more local sourcing of water; inclusion of wastewater in the broader water resources management context; and more integrated urban water resources management....
.....As water scarcity grows, investment in wastewater treatment and irrigation systems will become more viable. To encourage such investments, governments should determine enabling wastewater use policy, and develop a strategy for moving from unplanned to planned wastewater use for irrigation. Key elements of a strategic plan include the development of health-based targets, phased improvements in wastewater treatment, establishment of multi-barrier options comprising post-treatment healthprotection control measures, and progressive implementation industrial pre-treatment and control programs.....

....The use of untreated wastewater for agricultural irrigation is common in Pakistan; a survey showed that it was practiced in 80 percent of all the towns and cities with populations over 10,000 inhabitants. There are various reasons why untreated wastewater is used for irrigation such as: lack of access to other water sources, the high reliability of wastewater, the profits made by selling crops at the local market, and the nutrient value of the wastewater (reducing the need for fertilization). Farmers using untreated wastewater for irrigation bring in almost twice the income than farmers using normal irrigation water....
....The City of Faisalabad has a population of over 2 million people, making it the third largest city in Pakistan. Located in the heart of the Punjab province, Faisalabad was founded in 1900 as an agricultural market town but since then has rapidly developed into a major agro-based industrial centre. The use of wastewater for agricultural irrigation is common in Faisalabad. At least 9 different areas are irrigated with wastewater ranging in size from a few hectares to almost 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres). In total, over 2,000 hectares
(4,940 acres) of agricultural land are irrigated with untreated wastewater in Faisalabad.
Report concluded:
Farmers opt to use untreated wastewater over treated wastewater because it is considered to be more nutrient-rich and less saline than treated wastewater. In Faisalabad, like in many other cities in Pakistan, the local water and sanitation agency sells the wastewater to groups, or a community of farmers. The total revenue generated is mainly used for the operation and maintenance of the drinking water supply and sewage disposal systems. The majority of the farmers would prefer to use regular irrigation water (potable water), but increased water shortages in Pakistan have resulted in such low water allocations that the cultivation of crops without wastewater is no longer possible....

...Energy crops, also called "bio energy crops", are grown for the specific purpose of producing energy (electricity or liquid fuels). As these crops are not grown for the purpose of producing food, there are no health risks implicated for the consumers. The possibility of using biomass as a source of energy in reducing green-house gas emissions is a matter of great interest. In particular, biomass from agriculture represent one of the largest and most diversified sources to be exploited and more specifically, ethanol and diesel deriving from biomass have the potential to be a sustainable means of replacing fossil fuels for transportation. These liquid bio fuels are bio ethanol (gasoline-equivalent) and biodiesel
(diesel-equivalent). Bio ethanol is used as an additive or substitute for gasoline, and biodiesel, alone or combined with diesel for diesel engines. The first is obtained from fermentation of grains such as maize starch-, sugar cane or reserve organs rich in carbohydrates (Jerusalem artichoke, sugar beet, among others). Biodiesel comes from vegetable oils through a chemical process called “transesterification”....
Report concluded:
...Agricultural deployment of wastewater for irrigation is based on the value of its water content and its constituents, which are used as fertilizers. However, crop irrigation with insufficiently treated wastewater may result in health risks. Energy crops, not grown for the purpose of producing food, have no health risks implicated for the consumers. Many crops can be used as energy crops for bio fuels (bio ethanol and biodiesel) production....

Report concluded:
....Farmers in Pakistan and many other countries consider wastewater a valuable resource because of its high productivity and profitability. The reality is that farmers will take health risks and will use waste water when there is an opportunity for direct economic benefits. The municipal councils in Pakistan are aware of the value of wastewater and sell it to farmers, using the revenue to keep other utilities working. All stakeholders consider this to be a win-win situation—with very few incentives to invest in treatment facilities.
Therefore, rather than concluding that treatment facilities should be provided or strict legislation enforced, we suggest that there is a need to look at other options than wastewater treatment, to minimize the negative impacts of untreated wastewater irrigation, and come up with realistic alternatives for wastewater treatment under the given set of social and economic conditions....
....The sustainability and agronomic and financial gains make conjunctive use an attractive option for farmers. However, conjunctive use of wastewater will require changes in farm practices and willingness, by those that have an exclusive access to wastewater, to share the wastewater resource with other farmers. Fluctuations in nutrient concentrations will demand community and municipality involvement as it would require storage so that, through proper mixing of both water sources, a “standard” nutrient load can be provided.
The financial gains that can be obtained through conjunctive use of wastewater would make investments in new infrastructure and treatment programs justifiable....

 An estimated 975.771 million gallons of water goes waste annually in
Pakistan. 9000 million gallons of wastewater having 20,000 tons of BOD loading are daily discharged into water bodies from the industrial sector
 The total estimated area directly irrigated by wastewater is 32,500 hectares, with 19,250 households depending on direct wastewater use for their irrigation.
 In the entire country only 2% of the 388 cities have wastewater treatment facilities. The estimated total amount of direct wastewater used daily in agriculture was
2,400,000 m3 , while an additional 400,000m3/day of untreated wastewater was directly disposed of in irrigation canals.
Common Technologies used for waste water treatment include:
 mechanical filtration, sedimentation, sludge formation finally discharge into nearby agricultural fields.
 The sludge however is not treated.
Cost of use wastewater and impact on households
 This is on average 1070Rupees/hectare/year (19.3US$), compared to
380Rupees/hectare/year (6.8US$) for regular irrigation water that was used to irrigate the same type of crops .
 The total generated revenue for local municipalities and water and sanitation agencies by selling wastewater is substantial and was estimated at 14,700,000Rupees/year
(265,000US$).
 In some cases the wastewater is auctioned once a year by the municipal council to the highest bidder.
 A study by IWMI in the southern Punjab done in Pakistan showed that the impact of wastewater irrigation on household income is considerable as wastewater farmers earned approximately US$300/annum more than farmers using freshwater.

...Heavy metal accumulation in soil over a period of 30 years was minimal in
Haroonabad, a small town with no industry, but showed initial signs of excess levels in soil and plant material in Faisalabad, a city with large-scale industry. The impact of wastewater irrigation on household income was considerable as wastewater farmers earned approximately US$300/annum more than farmers using freshwater. Both case studies showed the importance of wastewater irrigation on local livelihoods. The lack of financial resources at municipal and provincial levels for wastewater treatment calls for other measures to reduce the negative impact of untreated wastewater use on health and environment, for example to manage groundwater, regular (canal) irrigation water, and wastewater conjunctively, and regular deworming treatment of those exposed to wastewater...
Report concluded:
....Untreated wastewater irrigation poses serious health risks that cannot be ignored.
While the risks to consumers may not be excessive, as most vegetables grown in land irrigated with wastewater are eaten cooked, the risks to farmers practicing flood irrigation cannot be ignored. The studies in Faisalabad and Haroonabad show a 5-fold increase in the risk of hookworm infection among wastewater farmers. However many of these farmers have no other option or do not want to use other water. This was illustrated by some farmers in Faisalabad who had access to treated and untreated wastewater but opted for the untreated (black) wastewater as it was considered less saline and better for their crops.
...In the present situation there seem to be clear gains for both farmers and municipalities. Farmers are willing to pay high water fees, which in turn are used by municipalities to finance the maintenance and operation costs of drinking water and sewerage services. Groundwater contamination due to extensive irrigation with wastewater has not been an issue for Faisalabad and Haroonabad because the natural saline groundwater there means they have no alternative irrigation water source, but it would be an important issue in cities and towns in the fresh groundwater regions....Although the use of wastewater is likely to become increasingly important for Pakistan as a combined

strategy for water conservation and pollution prevention, management of this resource is in the hands of local farmers and municipalities. There seems to be little awareness of the risks involved in the use of untreated wastewater among local municipalities where the opinion of many is that ‘the farmer knows best’. It is unlikely that Pakistan will be able to treat all wastewater currently used by farmers up to WHO guideline standards. Enforcement of crop restrictions will deprive many farming families of their livelihoods and there is therefore a need to look at options other than full wastewater treatment or the enforcement of crop restrictions....

All the cases stated lead to positive impacts of waste water usage in Agriculture.
Recent environmental situation fresh potable water depletion has made the water conservation policies essential for all the countries so that fresh water is at max available for drinking purposes while the other major needs are fulfilled through other means.
Water supply and sanitation in Pakistan is characterized by some achievements and many challenges. , the sector still faces major challenges. The quality of the services is poor, as evidenced by intermittent water supply in urban areas and limited wastewater treatment. Poor drinking water quality and sanitation lead to major outbreaks of waterborne diseases. In addition, many service providers do not even cover the costs of operation and maintenance due to low tariffs and poor efficiency. Consequently, the service providers strongly depend on government subsidies and external funding.
Pakistan is basically an agro based economy n its major water portion also goes to the irrigation sector leaving little behind thus the use of waste water for agriculture purposes is highly suitable and also less costly and more sustainable for the countries long term benefits. Cases of haroonabad and fasisalabad present great examples to implement the use of treatment plants to make waste waters usable for irrigational needs.
This would lead to better crop yields proved in stated reports, better land fertility and chances of growing better energy crops, thus providing the government of Pakistan a golden opportunity of not disturbing its industrialization or its agricultural boast but just to fill up the depletion of resources by replacing it with better safer and cheaper substitutes.

 LOW-COST MUNICIPALWASTEWATER TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR USE
IN PAKISTAN–A REVIEW,
Zulfiqar Ahmad Bhatti, Qaisar Mahmood*, Iftikhar Ahmad Raja, Amir
Haider Malik, Naim Rashid, Zahid Mahmood Khan and Farhana Maqbool
 REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON HEALTH ASPECTS OF WASTEWATER
REUSE IN AGRICULTURE; Amman, Jordan, Safe Wastewater Reuse: Current & future perspective; Professor Dr. Shaheena Manzoor; 30 October – 2 November 2006

Improving Wastewater Use in Agriculture: An Emerging Priority,
June 30, 2010 ; Energy Transport and Water Department Water Anchor (ETWWA); the World Bank.

Urban Wastewater: A Valuable Resource for Agriculture, A Case
Study from Haroonabad, Pakistan; Water Management International Institute
Wim van der Hoek, Mehmood Ul Hassan, Jeroen H.J. Ensink, Sabiena Feenstra, Liqa Raschid-
Sally, Sarfraz Munir, Rizwan Aslam, Nazim Ali, Raheela Hussain and Yutaka Matsuno

Waste-Water Use in Energy Crops Production ; Cecilia Rebora,
Horacio Lelio, Luciana Gómez and Leandra Ibarguren

Guidelines for Water Reuse: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Chapter 8 Water Reuse Outside the U.S
 ALGAE BASED SEWAGE TREATMENT AND ITS REUSE FOR IRRIGATION
AND LANDSCAPING By Madiha Zakria1, Dr. Abdullah Yasar and Saba Sadiq