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Abstract
Faisalabad is one of the few cities in Pakistan that has a waste stabilization pond (WSP) system. Local farmers complained about the high salinity and low nutrient value of the final effluent from the WSP and preferred the use of untreated wastewater. A one-year study showed a strong increase in salinity from untreated wastewater to final effluent with a clear decline in nitrogen concentration, thereby confirming farmer perceptions. The performance of the WSP was poor and did not comply with World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) guidelines for irrigation water. The poor performance of the WSP could be attributed to a combination of factors: poor design, the extreme climatic conditions and the large quantities of untreated wastewater which were used in agriculture. In countries such as Pakistan where the use of untreated wastewater has a long history, farmer perceptions should play a pivotal role in the selection of suitable wastewater treatment systems.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank M. Mukhtar for his assistance with laboratory analysis. Tipu Naveed, Tariq Mahmood and Tariq Nazir collected wastewater samples and measured in and outflow to the WSP. The research in Faisalabad was supported by a grant (2000.7860.0-001.00) from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.