Wastewater use in agriculture and its socio-economic, environmental and health impacts: a case study of Faisalabad

Wastewater is widely used as a low-cost alternative to conventional irrigation water. The practice is old, but the level of risk has increased as new types of pollutants found their way into the system. Though pervasive, this practice is largely unregulated in poor countries, and the health and environmental costs and benefits are unknown or unacknowledged. Existing options to treat wastewater for reuse are beyond the means of municipalities and farmers in these countries. The current research will address this problem by quantifying the extent of wastewater irrigation and its health and environmental impacts in selected areas of Faisalabad city. This study will develop a framework to explore the impacts of this practice on agriculture, health and environment.