Dutch scientists have created a framework that can be used when looking into the reuse of water on food crops. The National Institute for Public Health
Dutch scientists have created a framework that can be used when looking into the reuse of water on food crops. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Wageningen University and Research (WUR) and the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) have defined a set of minimum quality requirements that purified wastewater must meet for use in agriculture and horticulture. A testing framework was developed to limit the negative consequences for people, plants, and animals. In dry summers, there may not be enough water to irrigate agricultural and horticultural crops. Purified wastewater is a potential solution but may still contain chemicals and pathogens. Since 2020, European Union legislation has promoted the use of purified urban wastewater for irrigation in times of drought. The Netherlands implemented this law in 2023. The EU regulation has four quality classes (from A to D), with an associated maximum of E. coli for each one. Water can contain a range of pathogens,…