The reuse of reclaimed water (RW) for irrigation and recharge is a promising approach to mitigate water scarcity and promote efficient water resource management. Nevertheless, there is increasing concern regarding the ecological and environmental impacts of soil and groundwater contamination resulting from the irrigation and recharge of RW. To understand the current state of research on the ecological risk of soil and groundwater during RW reuse, a bibliometric analysis of 1109 publications throughout 2002-2021 in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database about the research topic was conducted. Through the use of HistCite Pro and Citespace, this study analyzed and visualized the number of publications, authors, citation frequency, keywords, institutions, journals, and countries where these publications have appeared. The results of this research showed an ongoing rise in the total number of publications during the 20 years prior. China was identified as the most prominent country in terms of production in this field, while the Chinese Academy of Sciences showed the highest level of productivity among institutions. Water has been identified as the most productive journal, while Li YK was identified as the most productive author. This current research focuses on the migration and transformation of RW contaminants in the soil-groundwater system and their ecological effects on soil and plants, whereas future research will concentrate on the risk assessment and health effects of emerging contaminants (ECs). The analysis presented in this study provides insights into research orientations, historical trends, and current research hotspots in the field of study. The aforementioned findings will offer valuable insights for formulating development strategies pertaining to RW reuse. Additionally, they will serve as guidance for decision-making processes within governmental management organizations.