ABSTRACT
One major concern in using wastewater for agricultural irrigation is the potential public health hazard resulting from exposure to pathogenic organisms. The term “pathogenic” is applied to those organisms that i nvari ably cause infectious di seases. Pathogens that can survive modern wastewater treatments include bacteria, protozoa, helminths (parasitic worms), and viruses. Epidemiological studies show that direct contact with these agents increases the probability of encountering gastrointestinal and urogenital infections. However, transmission of most pathogenic diseases from wastewater requires the fecal-to-oral route. There is very little evidence indicating a potential health hazard (by dissemination of infectious agents) in handling disinfected wastewater for irrigation on agricultural land [1].
