THE EFFECT OF GREYWATER IRRIGATION ON THE HYDRO-STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES OF SOIL

Abstract

As population increases, resources critical for human existence - water, food, and energy - become increasingly scarce, making it imperative to conserve, reuse, and recycle these resources. A largely untapped, non-conventional source for water reuse is greywater. This project assesses the effects of greywater irrigation on soil from a household landscape in the laboratory by applying controlled percolation cycles. All soil samples were characterized using a new apparatus (TypoSoilTM) to determine changes in soil hydro-structural properties. The main conclusions drawn from this study are that greywater irrigation affects the basic structure of the soil medium and reduces the soil’s ability to store water, thus reducing the water availability within the soil for plants to use. In cases of greywater use in agriculture, this effect will impact irrigation frequency and will increase the need for better farm water management.