Irrigation with outflows from “Aineia”

What are the benefits of urban wastewater treatment water reuse on crop yield? Which farming systems help? Can irrigation water reuse be combined with sustainable, environmentally friendly farming practices?

EYATH answered these questions from the stage of the seminar on “Sustainable Water Reuse in Agriculture in the context of SAFE project”, recently organized by ELGO – Dimitra, specifically highlighting the pilot utilization of effluents from its sewage treatment facility in the east for hydroponic tomato cultivation.

EYATH, represented by the chemist Evi Karabougioukis of the Department of Environmental Monitoring / Sewerage Facilities Division, presented the benefits and challenges of the reuse of treated effluent from EYATH S.A.’s wastewater treatment facilities, in the philosophy of the circular economy and sustainable management of water resources. EYATH, through its participation in the SAFE research project (“Sustainable water reuse practices that improve safety in agriculture, food and the environment”), provides the treated effluent of the EEL “Aineia”, located in the eastern areas of Thessaloniki , for the hydroponic cultivation of various tomato varieties – a form of cultivation that reduces the plants’ irrigation needs. In the context of the project, the environmental adaptation of plants to water reuse is researched and the aim is to finally develop an innovative water reuse system for irrigation in sustainable cultivation systems (such as hydroponic greenhouse crops that use proven less water) and indeed with a low carbon footprint. The circular economy, without burdening the productivity and quality of the plants, is the basic philosophy of the project, in a period of climate crisis and water scarcity.

The program’s partners from other countries (Italy, Spain, Morocco) participated in the day, who the next day were given a tour of EEL AINEA and the different stages of municipal wastewater treatment, up to disinfection and its disposal to the water recipient.

The research project SAFE (“Sustainable water reuse practices that improve safety in agriculture, food and the environment”) is implemented by the Institute of Genetic Improvement and Plant Genetic Resources of the Hellenic Agricultural Organization (ELGO-Dimitra), in Thermi, Thessaloniki. The project is part of the PRIMA Program (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area), funded by the Ministry of Development and Investments and the General Directorate of Scientific and Technological Cooperation, EU Department. and International Organizations.