Hydroponics-the science of growing plants in nutrient-rich solutions instead of soil-has proven itself to be efficient both financially and environmentally. No special knowledge is required to install the necessary equipment, and a person who has experience with farming will have no problem maintaining a hydroponic facility.
Hydroponic farms do not use plain water but a special solution that helps young sprouts achieve the maximum possible growth. In Europe, this technology is fairly widely used. However, there has been some experience that indicates the same results can be obtained using clean drinking water with only a productivity loss of 15 to 20 percent. What is left of the water is also clean and requires no additional purification to be used for watering crops or for other needs-or it can simply be poured out without harming the environment.
Hydroponic techniques have been proven successful in sites known for their extreme environmental contamination. Although attempts in the late '80s to use hydroponic agriculture in the zone contaminated by the Chernobyl accident met with only limited success, other projects have been much more effective.