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<ol> <li> To develop design and management practices for safe and sustainable groundwater
recharge, including the recharge of treated sewage effluent; <li> To assess the
microbiological safety of water reuse practices to include the evaluation of
agricultural and turf irrigation with sewage effluent on soil and underlying
groundwater;<li>To develop practical and economical methods to handle and treat
sewage effluent that will prevent transmission of pathogens to food, soil and water,
and hence, reduce the risks to human health and the environment.
Large soil columns in the greenhouse will be irrigated with secondary sewage effluent
to see how vegetation and irrigation efficiency affect the transport of pathogens,
pharmaceuticals, and hormones through the columns as indications of potential
contamination of underlying groundwater. Other columns will simulate artificial
recharge of groundwater with sewage effluent and Colorado River water to determine
the underground fate and potential contamination of groundwater with pathogens and
organic compounds. In addition, samples of shallow groundwater from below fields with
a long history of sewage irrigation and analyzed for pathogens and organics to
evaluate long-term effects of sewage irrigation on groundwater. Combined projects
5344-13000-012-00D and 5344-32000-002-00D (6/04). Renumbered from 5344-13000-015-00D
06/24/2004. Formerly 5344-13320-001-00D (2/06).