PiTCROP – Pasture Irrigation with Treated Wastewater: Challenges, Risks and Opportunities

The PiTCROP project is exploring how treated municipal wastewater could be safely reused to irrigate pasture, grassland, and other non-food crops in Ireland, helping to inform future water and agricultural policy. The project brings together stakeholder insights from Ireland and internationally to understand attitudes, opportunities, and best practice around wastewater reuse. It also includes laboratory and glasshouse trials assessing the effects of treated wastewater on grass species such as ryegrass and white clover under different climate stress conditions. Ultimately, PiTCROP aims to develop a practical, risk-based framework to support evidence-led decision-making on wastewater reuse in Irish agriculture, particularly in the context of increasing water scarcity and climate extremes. 

Quick Facts

Start

2026

End

2029

Funded By

Environmental Protection Agency

Researchers

Dr Timothy Sullivan

Platform

Healthy Environment

Challenge

Environment

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