Pivotal role of municipal wastewater resource recovery facilities in urban agriculture: A review

Abstract

Urban agriculture provides a promising, comprehensive solution to water, energy, and food scarcity challenges resulting from the population growth, urbanization, and the accelerating effects of anthropogenic climate change. Their close access to consumers, profitable business models, and important roles in educational, social, and physical entertainment benefit both developing and developed nations. In this sense, Urban Water Resource Reclamation Facilities (WRRFs) can play a pivotal role in the sustainable implementation of urban agriculture. Reclaimed water as a recovered resource has less supply variability and in certain cases can be of higher quality than other water sources used in agriculture. Another recovered resource, namely, biosolids, as byproduct from wastewater treatment can be put to beneficial use as fertilizers, soil amendments, and construction material additives. The renewable electricity, heat, CO₂, and bioplastics produced from WRRFs can also serve as essential resources in support of urban agriculture operation with enhanced sustainability. In short, this review exhibits a holistic picture of the state of-the-art of urban agriculture in which WRRFs can potentially play a pivotal role.