Authors: Klink, Janick; Perelló, Laura Aixalà; Abily, Morgan; Saló, Joan; Rodríguez-Roda, Ignasi; Marcé, Rafael; Gernjak, Wolfgang; Corominas, Lluís

Coupling hydrological and sanitation datasets to simulate wastewater-derived contamination in European rivers: Model development and calibration

Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharges of microcontaminants negatively impact freshwater streams, underscoring the need for accurately mapping wastewater-derived contamination in water bodies across Europe (EU). In this study, we present a fast and open-source code for a microcontaminants fate and transport (MFT) model, capable of simulating contamination at a high resolution (15 arc second scale) across the EU. The model was developed using the best publicly available hydrological (HydroSHEDS) and sanitation (UWWTD) datasets and was rigorously calibrated, with a goodness of fit of 77.5% as measured by the R2. Importantly, the model demonstrated the ability to predict wastewater-derived contamination in water bodies, making it a valuable tool for planning the upgrade of WWTPs and improving the ecological condition of freshwater streams in the EU. 

Year:2024
Authors:Klink, Janick; Perelló, Laura Aixalà; Abily, Morgan; Saló, Joan; Rodríguez-Roda, Ignasi; Marcé, Rafael; Gernjak, Wolfgang; Corominas, Lluís
Reference:Environmental Modelling and Software, Volume 178, July 2024, Article number 106049
Link:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2024.106049