Download - 006a NCWRM 2011 Canovas Cuenca_IME
Non Conventional
Water Resources Management
in the Mediterranean
Athens 14-15.09.2011
Reuse of regenerated waters and
water desalination.
Brief reference to Spain
Juan Cánovas Cuenca
Department of Natural Resources.
Murcia Research Institute Agricultural
Development and Food.
(Murcia, Spain)
Water Mediterranean Institute (IME)
The irrigated area of the world increased dramatically during the early and middleparts of the twentieth century, driven by rapidpopulation growth and the resulting demand for food. Irrigation
provides approximately 40 percent of the world’s food,including most of its horticultural output, from an estimated 20percent of agricultural land, or about 300 million ha worldwide
Source: FAO WATER REPORTS 36
Tipe of agriculture Temporal periode
1961 2009 Net increase
Rainfed 1,229 1,226 - 0,2 %
Irrigated 139 301 117,00 %
Total cultivated land 1,368 1,527 12,00 %
World net changes in major land use (million ha)
Source: FAO.2010.AQUASTAT database
It is necessary to increase water
availability
Availability: Water reuse and waste water
regeneration programs
More than 10 % of world population consumes food irrigated with waste waters
Patogens in waste waters is one of the main questions affecting its reuse for agriculture
Effects on human and animal health
Effects on the crops
Effects on soils (environment)
Factors to be considered in agricultural reuse of regenerated urban waste waters:
- Water quality as content of patogens, solids and salts
- Crops
- Irrigation systems
Regenerated waters: Waste waters treated with conventional processes of depuration plus others treatments in order to adecuate its quality to final use(Spain, RD 1620/2007, art. 2,
def. c)
Actors involving in water reuse:
- Consumers of domestic water
- Minicipalities
-Wastewater treatment agents
-Water regeneration agents
-(Irrigator communities)
- Final users
Irrigation with regenerated waters of urban origin provides water and nutrients to the crops
Population: 25.000 habitantsRegenerated waters: 1,46 hm3/año
Irrigated land associated: 292 ha
Dotation: 5.000 m3/ha
125 UF N/ha230 UF P/ha360 UF K/ha
Regenerated waters can provide more than 50 % of nitrogen needs of the crops and 100 % of phosphorus
and potassium needs
Source: Water reuse system. Aquarec. Manual. UE. 2006.
Hydrological basinHydrological basin Water available Water available
(hm3/a)(hm3/a)Water reused Water reused
(hm3/a)(hm3/a)% reused% reused
CH NORTECH NORTE 353,89353,89 0,000,00 0,000,00
CH DUEROCH DUERO 170,18170,18 0,000,00 0,000,00
CH TAJOCH TAJO 688,37688,37 7,327,32 1,061,06
CH GUADIANACH GUADIANA 103,57103,57 3,633,63 3,513,51
CH GUADALQUIVIRCH GUADALQUIVIR 272,04272,04 6,576,57 2,422,42
CH SEGURACH SEGURA 139,20139,20 139,20139,20 100,00100,00
CH JCH JÚÚCAR CAR 480,99480,99 135,89135,89 28,2528,25
CH EBROCH EBRO 259,18259,18 14,1814,18 5,595,59
GALICIA COSTA GALICIA COSTA 84,4284,42 0,000,00 0,000,00
ANDALUCANDALUCÍÍA ATLA ATLÁÁNTICA NTICA 88,1088,10 9,389,38 10,6510,65
ANDALUCANDALUCÍÍA MEDITARRA MEDITARRÁÁNEA NEA 155,02155,02 27,3527,35 17,6417,64
C. INTERNAS CATALUC. INTERNAS CATALUÑÑAA 393,70393,70 28,7528,75 7,307,30
BALEARESBALEARES 94,5694,56 28,6628,66 30,3030,30
CANARIASCANARIAS 91,9191,91 44.4344.43 48,3448,34
TOTAL TOTAL 3.375,163.375,16 447,34447,34 13,2513,25
Source: Ministery of Environment, Spain,
2008.
Aproximation to water reuse in Spain
Since 2007, in Spain, water reuse is regulated by Royal Decree 620/2007
This norm order water rights around reclamed wastewaters and qualitative
limits for each use.
Region of Murcia: Distribution of residual water treatment plants
Source: Esamur, 2009
In the Region of Murcia are there 100 plants to depurate waste waters.
103,5 hm3/year
Availability: Water desalination
Estimed water desalination capacity: 2,703,280 m3/day. This means 0.88 % of the renewables resources of this country
Total water desalination capacity in Spain is applied as: 2,069,192 m3/day (76.54 %) to
municipalities; 34,463 m3/day (1.27 %) to power; 109,491 m3/day (4.05 %) to industry; 60,395
m3/day (2.23 %) to tourism; 422,578 m3/day (15.63 %) to irrigation; 500 m3/day (0.01 %) to military;
497 m3/day (0.01 %) to discharge; 400 m3/day (0,01 %) to demonstration
Thanks