Response of saline wastewater irrigation on sand bed culture

The application of untreated wastewater using surface irrigation methods was found to cause soil problems. Investigation performed near Cairo with surface irrigation of untreated sewage indicated a build up in trace metals in the soil (2). Laboratory experiments on the effects of Na and organic matter of effluent showed an increase in the water retention properties of the soil (1). The present investigation deals with the response of chlorinated saline wastewater effluent to the irrigation on a Sand Bed Culture System (SBCS). Field trial on an experimental plot (25 x 50 m) were made to study the crop growth and response of sandy medium to the application of saline (3411 to 3857 mg/l) secondary treated, chlorinated wastewater on alfalfa, onions and summer squash. Physical and chemical properties of the soil were studied over three crop seasons. The groundwater-irrigation plots acted as the control. The physico-chemical propertied of the wastewater and groundwater were very similar, due to the fact that the wastewater is generally derived from the untreated groundwater.