Small villages and their sanitary infrastructure-an unnoticed influence on water quantity and a threat to water quality in headwater catchments.

ABSTRACT: In rural catchments, villages often feature their own, separate urban water infrastructure, including combined sewer overflows (CSOs) or wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). These point sources affect the water quantity and quality of the receiving low order streams. However, the extent of this impact is rarely monitored. We installed discharge and water quality measurements at the outlet of two small, neighbouring headwater catchments, one that includes a village, a WWTP, and two CSOs, while the other is predominantly influenced by agricultural activities. We also deployed electrical conductivity (EC) loggers at the CSOs to accurately detect discharge times. Discharge from the WWTP and CSOs led to higher peak flows and runoff coefficients during events. Less dilution of EC and increasing

SUBMITTER: Spill C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10654200 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature