Wastewater Reuse for Agriculture, Qualitative Aspects: A Case Study of Ain Temouchent, Algeria

Recently, as the world facing a water shortage due to climate change, a growing number of countries are considering irrigation using reclaimed water as an appropriate solution to secure and enhance agricultural production. Among the African countries affected by water stress, Algeria is in the category of the most water-stressed countries. In this chapter, the water quality of the treated wastewater produced from Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) of Ain Temouchent, a semi-arid region located in the northwestern part of Algeria, is determined including physico-chemical parameters, heavy metals and microbiological contaminants. Except of phosphate ions (PO4−3), the other physico-chemical parameters and heavy metals were below the recommended norm of WHO, FAO and Algerian standards for irrigation purposes. However, the results of the microbiological analyses indicated that the number of fecal coliforms and intestinal nematodes are above the WHO norms for treated wastewater intended for irrigation. On the other hand, according to Algerian norm, the irrigation of the fruit trees through drip irrigation technique is likely to reduce the risk of contamination while preserving the health of the consumers.