Planning of Integrated systems for supply of natural water and unconventional resource in agriculture: The feasibility of municipal secondary effluents reuse in irrigation districts of Apulia Region

Municipal wastewater reuse represents a topic of real interest due to the potential for environmental impact reduction and the availability of “unconventional” water resource. This paper examines some of the main aspects involved in the planning of the reuse of trated secondary effluents in irrigation supply systems which use a primarily “conventional” natural source (surface water and groundwater). To evaluate the feasibility of such an action, the main aspects to be investigated are both tecnhical-operative and economical. In order to make evidence the critical issue and the real potential reuse finalized to supply irrigation district which are localised in semi-arid climate in Mediterranean areas, based on a large review of research described in scientific literature concerning treatment process, three case studies in Apulia region (Southern Italy) have been described and analysed.