Worldwide, large investments in wastewater treatment are made to improve water quality. However, the impacts of these investments on river water quality are often not quantified. To assess water quality, the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires an integrated approach. The aim of this study was to develop an integrated ecological modelling framework for the River Drava (Croatia) that includes physical-chemical and hydromorphological characteristics as well as the ecological river water quality status. The developed submodels and the integrated model showed accurate predictions when comparing the modelled results to the observations. Dissolved oxygen and nitrogen concentrations (ammonium and organic nitrogen) were the most important variables in determining the ecological water quality (EWQ). The result of three potential investment scenarios of the wastewater treatment infrastructure in the city of Varaždin on the EWQ of the River Drava was assessed. From this scenario-based analysis, it was concluded that upgrading the existing wastewater treatment plant with nitrogen and phosphorus removal will be insufficient to reach a good EWQ. Therefore, other point and diffuse pollution sources in the area should also be monitored and remediated to meet the European WFD standards.
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Research Article|
July 14 2014
Development and assessment of an integrated ecological modelling framework to assess the effect of investments in wastewater treatment on water quality Available to Purchase
Javier E. Holguin-Gonzalez;
Javier E. Holguin-Gonzalez
1Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, J. Plateaustraat 22, 9000 Ghent, Belgium E-mail: [email protected]
2Universidad Autónoma de Occidente, Grupo de Investigación en Mecánica de Fluidos, Cl. 25 # 115 – 85, Km. 2 vía Cali – Jamundí, Valle Del Cauca, Colombia
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Pieter Boets;
Pieter Boets
1Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, J. Plateaustraat 22, 9000 Ghent, Belgium E-mail: [email protected]
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Gert Everaert;
Gert Everaert
1Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, J. Plateaustraat 22, 9000 Ghent, Belgium E-mail: [email protected]
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Ine S. Pauwels;
Ine S. Pauwels
1Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, J. Plateaustraat 22, 9000 Ghent, Belgium E-mail: [email protected]
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Koen Lock;
Koen Lock
3eCOAST Marine Research, Esplanadestraat 1, 8400 Ostend, Belgium
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Sacha Gobeyn;
Sacha Gobeyn
1Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, J. Plateaustraat 22, 9000 Ghent, Belgium E-mail: [email protected]
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Lorenzo Benedetti;
Lorenzo Benedetti
4Waterways srl, Via del Ferrone 88, 50023 Impruneta (FI), Italy
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Youri Amerlinck;
Youri Amerlinck
5Department of Mathematical Modelling, Statistics and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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Ingmar Nopens;
Ingmar Nopens
5Department of Mathematical Modelling, Statistics and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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Peter L. M. Goethals
Peter L. M. Goethals
1Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, J. Plateaustraat 22, 9000 Ghent, Belgium E-mail: [email protected]
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Water Sci Technol (2014) 70 (11): 1798–1807.
Article history
Received:
January 30 2014
Accepted:
July 02 2014
Citation
Javier E. Holguin-Gonzalez, Pieter Boets, Gert Everaert, Ine S. Pauwels, Koen Lock, Sacha Gobeyn, Lorenzo Benedetti, Youri Amerlinck, Ingmar Nopens, Peter L. M. Goethals; Development and assessment of an integrated ecological modelling framework to assess the effect of investments in wastewater treatment on water quality. Water Sci Technol 1 December 2014; 70 (11): 1798–1807. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2014.316
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