The Murcia region of Spain has found an innovative solution to irrigate its fields in the midst of low rainfall: wastewater reuse. Murcia, known for its fruit and vegetable production despite its arid climate, has managed to compensate for its water deficit by building a network of 100 wastewater treatment plants. These facilities recover, filter, and treat wastewater, guaranteeing its quality and disinfection for use in crop irrigation.
Thanks to this treatment system, which uses filters and ultraviolet rays, Murcia manages to reuse 98% of its wastewater, in contrast to the average of 9% in Spain and 5% in the European Union. This strategy has become even more relevant due to reductions in water transfers from the Tagus River in Madrid, which threaten shortages in Murcia.
Although this approach to wastewater reuse is not yet sufficient to fully supply the region’s needs, it is considered an important step. About 15% of irrigation on Murcia’s agricultural land comes from treated wastewater. Farmers value this source of water and use it with automated irrigation systems that limit consumption to the minimum necessary.
The Spanish government has recognized the importance of wastewater reuse and has earmarked an investment of €1.4 billion to build similar infrastructure throughout the country. This approach has also caught the attention of other countries, such as France, which is looking to implement wastewater recycling systems following Spain’s example. Wastewater reuse is considered a less expensive alternative to seawater desalination and offers a stable and reliable source of water for agricultural irrigation.
In short, Murcia has found wastewater reuse to be an effective response to the water shortage in its fields. This model has attracted the attention of other countries, and it is expected that wastewater reuse will play an increasingly important role in national and international water management.