20-Year Ferti-Irrigation of Agro-Energy Cultures with Municipal Wastewater: A Field Study

Wastewater represents both a significant environmental problem and a potential resource. Re-entry into the environment requires complex and expensive purification treatments, which require significant energy consumption and generate significant quantities of emissions in terms of climate-altering gases. This work reports the results of the activity carried out on experimental fields in Basilicata, in which wastewater was used for the irrigation of tree and biomass crops. In this work, balances of emissions and fertilizing elements and assessments of “carbon sequestration” relating to the application of partially treated wastewater on olive crops were carried out. The results demonstrate a positive effect on agricultural productivity, an appreciable recovery of fertilizing elements, and a favorable emission balance. It is estimated that after approximately 20 years of irrigation with wastewater in the experimental field, an equivalent carbon sequestration of more than 100 tons/ha was obtained.