Public perceptions towards wastewater reuse in Jordan and Tunisia

Abstract

Despite the high demand and sever shortage of water in Jordan and Tunisia, substantial amounts of treated wastewater are discharged into seas and valleys. This paper studies the perceptions of Jordanian and Tunisian farmers’ and public towards reuse of reclaimed wastewater in irrigated agriculture. A field survey was conducted in both countries employing two sets of questionnaires and targeting 96 farmers and 326 households. The results reveal reasonably high levels of farmers’ acceptance to use reclaimed wastewater and public acceptance to consume crops irrigated with this water. The study analyzes the factors that influence decisions of farmers and public to accept or reject irrigation with the reclaimed wastewater and related crops, respectively. The results also identify the major factors that might be influential in changing the perceptions and attitudes farmers’ and public.