What is ISO 16075‑1 about?
The ISO 16075 series discusses guidelines for treated wastewater use for irrigation projects. ISO 16075‑1 contains guidelines for the development and the execution of projects intending to use treated wastewater (TWW) for irrigation and considers the parameters of climate and soil.
The purpose of ISO 16075‑1 is to provide guidance on all elements of a project using treated wastewater for unrestricted and restricted irrigation, including design, materials, construction, and performance, when used for the following:
- Irrigation of agricultural crops
- Irrigation of public and private gardens and landscape areas, including parks, sports fields, golf courses, and cemeteries
Note1: None of the parts of the ISO 16075 series is intended to be used for certification purposes.
Note2: Contaminants of emerging concern (such as pharmaceuticals and personal care product residuals) are outside the scope of ISO 16075‑1 since up to day, there is no evidence of adverse effects on human health or environment via irrigation with treated wastewater or via the consumption of crops irrigated with treated wastewater.
Who is ISO 16075‑1 for?
ISO 16075‑1 on guidelines for treated wastewater use for irrigation projects is useful for:
- Organizations that wish to reuse wastewater
- Professionals, such as irrigation companies (designers and operators)
- Agricultural extension officers or advisors
- Water companies (designers and operators)
- Local authorities and water utilities
Why should you use ISO 16075‑1?
The increasing water scarcity and water pollution control efforts in many countries have made treated municipal and industrial wastewater a suitable option for augmenting the existing water supply. Treated wastewater (also referred to as reclaimed water or recycled water) can be used for various non-potable purposes. The dominant applications for the use of TWW include agricultural irrigation, landscape irrigation, industrial reuse, and groundwater recharge.
ISO 16075‑1 suggests the parameters of TWW quality. These parameters include the following:
- Agronomic parameters: nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), salinity factors (total salt content, chloride, boron, and sodium concentration) and heavy metals’ concentration
- Pathogen presence
Each of these parameters can have possible impacts on crops, soil, and public health. ISO 16075‑1 discusses the possibility of preventing the contaminants’ addition during wastewater production and the ability to remove them during the course of treatment. ISO 16075‑1 provides you with the basis for a healthy, hydrological, environmental and agronomic conscious design, operation, monitoring, and maintenance of a TWW irrigation system.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS ISO 16075‑1:2020 replaces ISO 16075‑1:2015, which has been technically revised. The main changes in BS ISO 16075‑1:2020 compared to ISO 16075‑1:2015 are as follows:
- Updated the subject of public and private gardens irrigation by treated wastewater (TWW)
- Added Annex A (New)- Examples of means to improve TWW quality
