Scenarios of intermittent E. coli contamination from sewer overflows to shellfish growing waters: the Dart Estuary case study

Sewage overflows (SOs) and Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) significantly contribute to the bacterial contamination of coastal waters, which is of especial concern for aquaculture, a growing industry worldwide. Hydrodynamic and water quality models were used to investigate impacts of CSO discharge fr...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: García-García, Luz, Campos, C., Kershaw, S., Younger, A., Bacon, John
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/316466
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/316466
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Medio Marino
Sewage contamination
Centro Oceanográfico de A Coruña
Dart Estuary (UK)
Impact assessment
TELEMAC
Faecal Indicator organisms
Shellfish health
sewage
wood
pollution
fisheries
shellfish
Descripción
Sumario:Sewage overflows (SOs) and Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) significantly contribute to the bacterial contamination of coastal waters, which is of especial concern for aquaculture, a growing industry worldwide. Hydrodynamic and water quality models were used to investigate impacts of CSO discharge frequency and duration, river discharge and tides on Escherichia coli levels at shellfish farming sites in the Dart Estuary (UK), being the employed methodology generally applicable. High E. coli contamination occurred during neap tides and high river discharges due to higher retention and lower bacterial decay. Synchronicity of CSO spills affected the duration of the pollution episodes rather than peak concentrations, more influenced by discharges of the neighbouring CSOs. During peak discharges, E. coli concentrations could be 10 times higher than during average flows. CSO spills were more frequent when rainfall was >20 mm. Model outputs combined with rainfall forecasts can indicate microbiological contamination risk in the aquaculture sites.