Energy-Enabled Decentralized Treatment of Brackish Water Sources for Agricultural Irrigation
This white paper, Energy-Enabled Decentralized Treatment of Brackish Water Sources for Agricultural Irrigation, focuses on the energy-for-water nexus and explores how decentralized, low-energy treatment systems can enable the on-site reuse of brackish groundwater for agriculture. The work centers on developing energy-efficient, renewable, and hybrid-powered systems that treat non-conventional water sources locally to reduce dependence on overstressed freshwater supplies.
Agricultural irrigation increasingly relies on freshwater sources that are scarce, degraded, or fully allocated. While brackish groundwater is abundant, its use is limited by the high energy and cost demands of desalination and the lack of integrated energy-water infrastructure in agricultural regions. Key gaps include limited field deployment of decentralized treatment units, insufficient integration of renewable power, and a lack of performance metrics linking energy use, water delivery, and system resilience.
Over the next 3?5 years, pilot systems combining modular treatment units, renewable or hybrid energy supplies, smart pumping and distribution, and fit-for-purpose irrigation delivery will be tested within agricultural districts. A digital decision-support platform will optimize operations, energy use, and irrigation scheduling. The initiative aims to demonstrate scalable models that reduce grid dependence and enhance water supply resilience.
Success will be evaluated through both quantitative metrics (e.g., energy use per cubic meter of water produced, treated water volume, irrigation reliability, and cost savings) and qualitative metrics (e.g., cross-sector partnerships, institutional adoption, replication potential, and resilience to drought or grid outages). Ultimately, the system will be deemed successful if it operates reliably at or below the energy intensity of conventional freshwater systems, is replicable across regions, and supports irrigation at scale.
Citation Formats
TY - DATA
AB - This white paper, Energy-Enabled Decentralized Treatment of Brackish Water Sources for Agricultural Irrigation, focuses on the energy-for-water nexus and explores how decentralized, low-energy treatment systems can enable the on-site reuse of brackish groundwater for agriculture. The work centers on developing energy-efficient, renewable, and hybrid-powered systems that treat non-conventional water sources locally to reduce dependence on overstressed freshwater supplies.
Agricultural irrigation increasingly relies on freshwater sources that are scarce, degraded, or fully allocated. While brackish groundwater is abundant, its use is limited by the high energy and cost demands of desalination and the lack of integrated energy-water infrastructure in agricultural regions. Key gaps include limited field deployment of decentralized treatment units, insufficient integration of renewable power, and a lack of performance metrics linking energy use, water delivery, and system resilience.
Over the next 3?5 years, pilot systems combining modular treatment units, renewable or hybrid energy supplies, smart pumping and distribution, and fit-for-purpose irrigation delivery will be tested within agricultural districts. A digital decision-support platform will optimize operations, energy use, and irrigation scheduling. The initiative aims to demonstrate scalable models that reduce grid dependence and enhance water supply resilience.
Success will be evaluated through both quantitative metrics (e.g., energy use per cubic meter of water produced, treated water volume, irrigation reliability, and cost savings) and qualitative metrics (e.g., cross-sector partnerships, institutional adoption, replication potential, and resilience to drought or grid outages). Ultimately, the system will be deemed successful if it operates reliably at or below the energy intensity of conventional freshwater systems, is replicable across regions, and supports irrigation at scale.
AU - Ikner, Luisa
A2 - Pan, Wei
A3 - Hickenbotttom, Kerri
A4 - Norwood, Robert
A5 - Achilli, Andrea
DB - Energy-Water Resilience
DP - Open EI | National Laboratory of the Rockies
DO -
KW - EWR
KW - energy
KW - water
KW - resilience
KW - decentralized water treatment
KW - brackish groundwater reuse
KW - energy for water
KW - water quality
KW - agricultural irrigation resilience
LA - English
DA - 2025/10/31
PY - 2025
PB - University of Arizona
T1 - Energy-Enabled Decentralized Treatment of Brackish Water Sources for Agricultural Irrigation
UR - https://ewr.openei.org/submissions/114
ER -
Ikner, Luisa, et al. Energy-Enabled Decentralized Treatment of Brackish Water Sources for Agricultural Irrigation. University of Arizona, 31 October, 2025, Energy-Water Resilience. https://ewr.openei.org/submissions/114.
Ikner, L., Pan, W., Hickenbotttom, K., Norwood, R., & Achilli, A. (2025). Energy-Enabled Decentralized Treatment of Brackish Water Sources for Agricultural Irrigation. [Data set]. Energy-Water Resilience. University of Arizona. https://ewr.openei.org/submissions/114
Ikner, Luisa, Wei Pan, Kerri Hickenbotttom, Robert Norwood, and Andrea Achilli. Energy-Enabled Decentralized Treatment of Brackish Water Sources for Agricultural Irrigation. University of Arizona, October, 31, 2025. Distributed by Energy-Water Resilience. https://ewr.openei.org/submissions/114
@misc{EWR_Dataset_114,
title = {Energy-Enabled Decentralized Treatment of Brackish Water Sources for Agricultural Irrigation},
author = {Ikner, Luisa and Pan, Wei and Hickenbotttom, Kerri and Norwood, Robert and Achilli, Andrea},
abstractNote = {This white paper, Energy-Enabled Decentralized Treatment of Brackish Water Sources for Agricultural Irrigation, focuses on the energy-for-water nexus and explores how decentralized, low-energy treatment systems can enable the on-site reuse of brackish groundwater for agriculture. The work centers on developing energy-efficient, renewable, and hybrid-powered systems that treat non-conventional water sources locally to reduce dependence on overstressed freshwater supplies.
Agricultural irrigation increasingly relies on freshwater sources that are scarce, degraded, or fully allocated. While brackish groundwater is abundant, its use is limited by the high energy and cost demands of desalination and the lack of integrated energy-water infrastructure in agricultural regions. Key gaps include limited field deployment of decentralized treatment units, insufficient integration of renewable power, and a lack of performance metrics linking energy use, water delivery, and system resilience.
Over the next 3?5 years, pilot systems combining modular treatment units, renewable or hybrid energy supplies, smart pumping and distribution, and fit-for-purpose irrigation delivery will be tested within agricultural districts. A digital decision-support platform will optimize operations, energy use, and irrigation scheduling. The initiative aims to demonstrate scalable models that reduce grid dependence and enhance water supply resilience.
Success will be evaluated through both quantitative metrics (e.g., energy use per cubic meter of water produced, treated water volume, irrigation reliability, and cost savings) and qualitative metrics (e.g., cross-sector partnerships, institutional adoption, replication potential, and resilience to drought or grid outages). Ultimately, the system will be deemed successful if it operates reliably at or below the energy intensity of conventional freshwater systems, is replicable across regions, and supports irrigation at scale.},
url = {https://ewr.openei.org/submissions/114},
year = {2025},
howpublished = {Energy-Water Resilience, University of Arizona, https://ewr.openei.org/submissions/114},
note = {Accessed: 2026-08-03}
}
Details
Data from Oct 31, 2025
Last updated Mar 25, 2026
Submitted Mar 25, 2026
Contact
Luisa Ikner