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Improving the microbiological quality of the Ruhr River near Essen: comparing costs and effects for the removal of Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Improving the microbiological quality of the Ruhr River near Essen: comparing costs and effects for the removal of Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci

Katharina Tondera, K Klaer, S Roder, I Brueckner and J Pinnekamp
Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research, Vol.75(11), pp.2659-2668
2017
url
https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2017.141View
Published Version

Abstract

After rain events in densely populated areas, combined sewer overflows (CSOs) can have severe health-related effects upon surface water quality, as well as discharges from diffuse overland pollution and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). All of these sources emit pathogens and fecal indicator bacteria into the surface water, which the EU Bathing Water Directive addresses by giving threshold values for the indicators Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci. This study presents a comparison between 21 scenarios of costs for processes that reduce the load of Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci into the Ruhr River during and shortly after rain events. The methods examined include UV irradiation for WWTPs, integrated sewer management and treatment of CSOs with vertical flow constructed wetlands or performic acid. For pollution by diffuse overland flow, we evaluated organizational measures. The treatment of only diffuse pollution shows merely a sligth effect on intestinal enterococci, but none on Escherichia coli and hence, was not considered further. Combining all three CSO reduction methods with the irradiation of WWTP effluent provides the best simulation results in terms of reducing both indicator bacteria.

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Web Of Science research areas
Engineering, Environmental
Environmental Sciences
Water Resources

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being
#6 Clean Water and Sanitation

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