Assessment of the hazards associated with water quality for irrigation in the Environmental Interceptor Canal of the RUT District, Colombia

The Environmental Interceptor Canal supplies irrigation water to approximately 2,951 ha of agricultural land, primarily using pumped river water and effluents from the municipalities of Roldanillo, La Unión, and Toro's domestic wastewater treatment systems. In response to declining crop productivity, increased operational costs of irrigation systems, and constraints on export activities, this study aimed to evaluate the potential hazards associated with the use of water from this source for agricultural irrigation. Three composite sampling campaigns were conducted at seven points along the canal, and physicochemical and microbiological parameters were analyzed following standardized methodologies. The results revealed four main issues: a high microbiological hazard, evidenced by median fecal coliform (FC) concentrations exceeding 10,000 MPN 100 mL-1; a moderate to high hazard of chemical soil degradation due to the presence of salts and sodium (Na⁺); a high corrosion hazard; and a high hazard of emitter clogging associated with iron (Fe²⁺) concentrations above 1.5 mg L-1 and elevated median concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS). Overall, the results indicate that the water quality of the canal presents significant limitations for agricultural irrigation, highlighting the need to implement management, treatment, and control measures to reduce operational risks, comply with regulatory criteria, and improve the sustainability of irrigation systems and agricultural productivity in the study area.