Urban Wastewater and Economic Potential for Cotton Growers and Taxpayers

Abstract

Wastewater from urban areas can be a valuable source of water and plant nutrients for neighboring agricultural producers, particularly in arid regions of the world. A derived effluent demand function for agricultural producers near Tucson, Arizona, reveals a potential demand of 11,000 acre-feet under present price and delivery system conditions. In this case, wastewater could be exchanged for ground water and both the urban and rural areas would gain.