The Impact of Treated Urban Wastewaters and Flood Discharge on the Quality of Bathing Water
1. Introduction
- (1)
- The spread of fecal pollutants and antibiotic resistance in the aquatic environment as a major public health concern. Curran et al. [2] conducted a study in the city of Venice (Italy) on microbial pollution sources, including domestic wastewaters, due to the lack of sewage treatment infrastructure. The authors conducted metagenomic analyses of DNA extracted from sediment samples to characterize the microbial community composition; the presence of fecal microbes as well as other non-enteric pathogens; and the content of genes related to antibiotic and heavy-metal resistance and virulence. Their results suggested the existence of widespread microbial pollution of the sediment in the canals of Venice; this was coupled with the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) resistant to antibiotics frequently used by humans, as well as of genes resistant to toxic heavy metals that still persist in the lagoon.
- (2)
- A study on dissolved potentially toxic element (PTE) levels was carried out by Girolametti et al. [4] to assess the impact of treated urban wastewaters on the quality of bathing waters in the Adriatic Sea. Their results demonstrated the efficiency of the investigated depuration plants, underlining the importance of wastewater treatment for the protection of the Adriatic Sea.
- (3)
- Intense rainfall can affect bathing water quality, especially in areas with poorly developed sewage systems or combined sewer overflows (CSOs). The aim of the studies conducted by Ordulj et al. [5] and Manini et al. [6] were to assess the impact of precipitation on coastal bathing water quality in the areas of Split and Kaštela (eastern Adriatic Sea) and in the area of Fano (western Adriatic Sea), respectively. Ordulj et al. reported that the quality of bathing waters in the Kaštela area was significantly worse than in the Split area, due to the low efficiency of the sewage system in these areas. It was also revealed that bathing water quality depends on the timing of the sampling and on the indicator against which it is assessed. Escherichia coli proved to be a better indicator for early-morning sampling, while intestinal enterococci were better for late-morning sampling.
- (4)
- Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) close to water bodies are a cause for grave environmental concern. In the past few decades, major storm events have become increasingly common in some regions, and meteorological scenarios predict a further increase in their frequency. Consequently, CSO control and treatment according to best practices, the adoption of innovative treatment solutions, and careful sewer system management are urgently needed. The construction of an innovative detention reservoir along the Arzilla River (Fano, Italy) to store diluted CSO wastewater was presented by Romei et al. [8]. Their preliminary results suggested that the detention tank exerted beneficial environmental effects on bathing water by lowering the microbial load.
- (5)
- The spatial and temporal occurrences of chlorophyll profiles provide a good representation of changes in the marine environment. The study by Kvesić et al. [9] aimed to characterize chlorophyll’s vertical distribution, and described its variability based on the stratification conditions and the presence of a wastewater effluent plume using modern fluorescence techniques. Along with chlorophyll, macronutrient (nitrogen—N; phosphorus—P; silicon—Si) concentrations play a crucial role in the evaluation of the trophic status of a water body and of eutrophication phenomena. The entry of nutrient loads into the sea is mainly represented by river runoff and depuration plant (DP) outflows. Fanelli et al. [10] provided important information on the distribution of nutrients in seawater related to the activity of depuration plants. The study was focused on the influence of treated wastewater plants on open-sea nutrient contents. The results showed that the considered depuration plants have a negligible impact on the marine ecosystem as the nutrients present in the treated wastewater undergo strong dilution once they reach the marine basin.
- (6)
- Communication and knowledge transfer from science and research to the general public is a paramount step in raising people’s awareness of environmental issues. The paper by Baldrighi et al. [11] aimed to present the successful communication initiatives developed during two Interreg projects, AdSWiM and WATERCARE, with schools and educational organizations at a local and national level in Italy and Croatia.
- (7)
- The activities developed during the AdSWiM project period are presented by Susmel et al. [12] in a project report paper; the paper aimed to highlight the results of the heterogeneous activities carried out during the project, but also to emphasize how bodies with different institutional set-ups, roles and methods of working were able to interact, with the aim of ensuring cross-border protection of the Adriatic sea.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Susmel, S.; Baldrighi, E.; Krzelj, M.; Bilic, J.; Marini, M.; Annibaldi, A.; Scognamiglio, V.; Celussi, M. The Impact of Treated Urban Wastewaters and Flood Discharge on the Quality of Bathing Water. Water 2022, 14, 2552. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14162552
Susmel S, Baldrighi E, Krzelj M, Bilic J, Marini M, Annibaldi A, Scognamiglio V, Celussi M. The Impact of Treated Urban Wastewaters and Flood Discharge on the Quality of Bathing Water. Water. 2022; 14(16):2552. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14162552
Chicago/Turabian StyleSusmel, Sabina, Elisa Baldrighi, Maja Krzelj, Josipa Bilic, Mauro Marini, Anna Annibaldi, Viviana Scognamiglio, and Mauro Celussi. 2022. "The Impact of Treated Urban Wastewaters and Flood Discharge on the Quality of Bathing Water" Water 14, no. 16: 2552. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14162552