Valley farms make use of treated wastewater

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Recycled water is helping some fortunate Valley farmers deal with three years of drought conditions.

Treated toilet water is perfectly fine for non-edible crops. Farmers say once they got over the smell they found the irrigation water to be reliable and effective.

Every day 60 million gallons of raw sewage winds up at the Fresno-Clovis Wastewater Treatment plant.

The sludge is filtered and cleaned up through biological and chemical processes.

Steve Hogg is the Assistant Director of Public Utilities for the city of Fresno. He said, "That water is then sent to 1700 acres of infiltration ponds where the majority of it is infiltrated back into the groundwater. About 10% of that is sent directly to our neighboring farmers."

Jim Quist is among five area farmers who actively use the treated wastewater for non-food crops like alfalfa and corn silage, which is used as cattle feed.

"When I was a kid I didn't like the smell all that much," said Quist. "How come we're living here but you start to evaluate and see the value of the resources."

Quist said his family has had free use of the treated wastewater for fifty years.

The last three have been drought years so the water has been extremely valuable.

Quist explained, "It's been a kind of symbiotic relationship where they're trying to export water and having the nutrients that are in that water taken up by the crops around them."

Quist also grows walnuts, almonds and grapes - crops which can't be irrigated with treated wastewater. He's constantly pumping groundwater because of water delivery cutbacks.

"Our water table has dropped 15 feet in about the last 18, 19, 20 months so there's a definite concern," said Quist. "My energy costs doubled from what they were last year."

The recycled water can also be used to irrigate crops like cotton and sorghum.