Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID TWRI-Mendoza-FY24

Transport of antibiotics and bacterial antibiotic-resistance genes in soils of semi-arid regions of Texas

Institute: Texas
Year Established: 2023 Start Date: 2023-09-01 End Date: 2024-08-31
Total Federal Funds: $10,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $10,008

Principal Investigators: Itza Mendoza

Project Summary: Reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation may be an affordable solution to ensure water supply under scarcity conditions. The challenge of using treated wastewater for irrigation is to achieve an effective supply of water and nutrients while preventing accumulation of chemical and microbial contaminants. The overall objective of my research is to identify mechanisms that reduce mobilization and degradation of water pollutants when irrigating water infiltrates through the soil. These findings will ultimately help to understand how treated wastewater could be reused for irrigation in a way that is affordable and safe for human health.