Characteristics and quality of gray water and the possibility of reuse for irrigation purposes from the houses of some areas of the left side of the city of Mosul

Abstract

The research dealt with assessing the quality of gray water generated from houses in some areas of the left side of the city of Mosul and determining the suitability of reusing it for irrigation; for this purpose, 90 samples of gray water were collected from fifteen neighborhoods of the left side for a period of six months during the period from November 2020 to April 2021. The research aims to conduct a monthly study to assess the quality and suitability of gray water for irrigation by conducting physical, chemical, and biological tests for gray water generated from houses Where the values of E.C. ranged (751-1621) μS/cm and T.D.S. (483-684) mg/L, and pH ranged (6.3-8.2), and the concentration of sodium ions ranged between (7.8-147) mg/L as for the concentration of C.O.D. (Chemical Oxygen Demand) ranged between (69-200) mg/L While the C.O.D. values ranged between (69-200) mg /L , The S.A.R. values were between (0.18-2.98) meq/L, and the phosphate ions values ranged between (0.25-3.7) mg/L; finally, the average of fecal coliform bacteria was (0.0-4) x 105/100 ml. The study concluded that the water was classified under the category (C3-S1) high salinity - low sodium, which is suitable for irrigation of plants that are well tolerant to salinity and is suitable for use in soils that do not contain complex layers that prevent leaching because these soils will need to be washed when irrigated with this water. This study recommended diluting gray water by mixing it with fresh water and using it for irrigation.