Early results from our basil pilot in Wichita Falls
Our pilot project in Wichita Falls is delivering exiting results, showing clear potential for using municipal wastewater effluent directly in crop production without additional treatment or nutrient supplementation. Conducted within the framework of Unity4Water, the study focuses on basil cultivation and is designed as a feasibility assessment rather than a full-scale production system.
The pilot compares two parallel growing conditions. In one setup, basil is irrigated with deionized water combined with optimized nutrient dosing. In the other, treated municipal wastewater effluent is used as irrigation water without any added nutrients. The objective is to evaluate whether the nutrients already present in the effluent are sufficient to support healthy plant growth.
– The purpose was to test basil growth rate using DI water with optimized nutrient dosing against wastewater effluent without optimized nutrient dosing. It’s essentially a feasability study for the use of municipal wastewater effluent to grow crops without additional treatment, says Hunter Adams, Water Source & Purification Superintendent, City of Wichita Falls.
Comparable growth and plant health
Results from the first trial round indicate that the two cultivation methods performed at a similar level. Both growth rate and overall plant health were comparable, suggesting that wastewater effluent can function effectively as irrigation water for basil without further nutrient input.
– The growth rate and plant health was similar in the two experiments, showing that wastewater effluent could be used as irrigation water for crop production without the use of additional nutrients, says Hunter Adams.
From a practical perspective, this finding strengthens the case for viewing treated municipal wastewater as a resource rather than a residual by-product. Water quality was monitored using established analytical techniques, including wet chemistry testing, ion chromatography, and metals analysis through ICP-MS. Plant performance was evaluated through growth measurements, pigment analysis using a handheld spectrophotometer, and metals analysis, also via ICP-MS. No technical or operational challenges were encountered during the trial phase.
Lessons for future development
The data collected in Wichita Falls confirms that basil can be grown using municipal wastewater effluent without additional nutrient addition. This insight is particularly relevant for future development and potential scaling of water reuse concepts in agriculture, especially in regions where freshwater resources are under pressure. The next stage of the work will involve further evaluation of the microfarm at the Ikehata Laboratory, part of Texas State University. These early results underline why water reuse is gaining attention in discussions about the future of food and water systems. Demonstrating that crops can be grown using treated wastewater without additional inputs is an important step forward. As the project continues, the work remains highly relevant—and the next phases are met with strong anticipation.
