Abstract
The differences between the characteristics of treated wastewater (TWW) and those of its fresh water of origin, coupled with the increased necessity to use TWW for irrigation, particularly in arid and semiarid regions, present the farming community with unique and unfamiliar problems, among which is the possible degradation of soil structure and stability. Probable risks for adverse changes in the structure and stability of soils and their hydraulic properties following irrigation with TWW may stem from the higher levels of dissolved organic matter, suspended solids, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and salinity in the TWW compared with its fresh water of origin. Laboratory studies with specimen clays have indicated that irrigation with TWW can lead to conditions in the soil that enhance clay swelling and dispersion. These phenomena can, in turn, initiate and/or increase clay depletion from the upper soil layer and the deterioration in aggregate stability; decrease soil hydraulic conductivity; and increase ...
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