To reduce on-farm water usage, recycling and re-using may be necessary but not appropriate due to toxins in the water. I'm looking into using recycled swine waste water for irrigation. However, the costs seem prohibitive already.
Ignatius Wasike , you should take a look at Constructed Wetlands. They are considered low cost treatment systems in terms of construction and operation. The bigger issue is the area demand, but you will find several research papers applying CWs for treating swine wastewater as well as aiming for wastewater treatment and reuse (such as irrigation). Hope to have helped.
It depends on the quantity and strength of the waste (Biological Oxygen Demand -BOD) but one proven technique for high strength waste is anaerobic digestion (AD). This provides the additional benefit of methane generation which can be used as fuel for domestic or industrial purposes. However, if waste volumes are high the cost of the AD plant and equipment may also be high, depending on the sophistication of the technology. However, simple AD has been used in rural areas for agricultural waste.
As advised by Dr. Wasike, constructed wetlands could be considered as a low cost treatment systems. The answer by Dr. Hands is also useful and can help you. Best wishes
Dear I W.
At best the solid sludge needs to be dealt with separately, by composting route.
Either co composted with agri bio mass or with other bio mass Etc.
Now only waste water remains, CWs ie constructed wetlands may be applied for doing phyto-r.
Suggest Elephant grass is grown and harvested for fodder for farm - animals viz cows, chicken, pigs.
Do you have a cesspool at the tail- end of the process,
Then CFW ie floating wetlands may be applied.
At each stage suggest carry out tests on both ww and varied produces.
If treatment is not adequate, then corrections are done and/ or wwt HRT is increased.
Well wishes.
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