In regions with high water stress, use of brackish and saline water and the recycling of wastewater is sometimes the only option available to address the growing water crisis. Drainage water, treated wastewater, brackish and desalinated water can be used in agriculture, especially in the arid and semi-arid zones and in rapidly growing peri-urban areas. Cities’ wastewaters are in fact a precious source of water and nutrients for agriculture that have to be properly managed to minimize environmental and health risks. It is estimated that worldwide about 20 million ha are irrigated with partially treated/ untreated wastewater.

The Working Group on use of Poor Quality Water (WG-PQW) promotes a safe and good management of poor quality waters for irrigation so as to minimize the negative impact on human health and the environment. The group also promotes the multiple use of poor quality water with due consideration to the institutional and legal aspect. The group has organized many international workshops on the topic and is actively collaborating with FAO, International Centre for Bio-saline Agriculture (ICBA), Dubai and contributing to related UN-Task Forces. The SALTMED model has been developed for generic applications and accounts for different: irrigation systems, crops, soil types and fertilizer applications. It was developed to predict dry matter and yield, soil salinity and soil moisture profiles, salinity leaching requirements and soil nitrogen dynamics and nitrate leaching, soil temperature, water uptake, and evapotranspiration.

• Permanent Committee on Strategy and Organization (PCSO)
• Permanent Committee for Technical Activities (PCTA)
• Task Forces (TF)
• Completed/ Past Workbodies