Potato processors discharge large volumes of wastewater that
contain large amounts of organic matter, suspended solids, and
various inorganic constituents including nitrogen, phosphorus,
and potassium (1, 2, 3). Until recently, the wastewater was discharged
into rivers and streams, but governmental regulations
now prohibit this practice. The potato processors must either
treat their wastewater to meet established quality standards before
discharging it into streams or find an alternative disposal
method. Irrigating agricultural cropland is the disposal and treatment
method that many potato processors have chosen