Abstract
Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) close to water bodies are a cause of grave environmental concern. In the past few decades, major storm events have become increasingly common in some regions, and the meteorological scenarios predict a further increase in their frequency. Consequently, CSO control and treatment according to best practices, the adoption of innovative treatment solutions and careful sewer system management are urgently needed. A growing number of publications has been addressing the quality, quantity and types of available water management and treatment options. In this study, we describe the construction of an innovative detention reservoir along the Arzilla River (Fano, Italy) whose function is to store diluted CSO wastewater exceeding the capacity of a combined drain system. River water sampling and testing for microbial contamination downstream of the tank after a heavy rain event found a considerable reduction of fecal coliform concentrations, which would have compounded the impact of stormwater on the bathing site. These preliminary results suggest that the detention tank exerted beneficial environmental effects on bathing water by lowering the microbial load.
Highlights
Climate change is affecting rainfall regimes all over the planet
We report the effects of the first detention reservoir built in Marches to store diluted wastewater exceeding the capacity of the local combined drain system coming from a combined sewer overflow (CSO)
We report the effects of the first detention reservoir built in Marchestutdoys,towree dreipluotretdthweaesftefewctasteorf etxhceeefidrsint gdethteentciaopnacreitsyerovfotihrebuloicltalincoMmabricnheeds d(creanintrasyl sItteamly)ctoomsitnogrefrdoimlutaecdowmabsitneewdasteewr eerxcoeveedrifnlogwth(eCScOap)a. city of the local comb3inofe1d0 drain system coming from a combined sewer overflow (CSO). 2
Summary
Climate change is affecting rainfall regimes all over the planet. Long-term series of observations provide unique and valuable datasets that allow for the reliable detection of the average annual cycle patterns as well as of significant changes due to global or local impacts [1,2]. In the past few years, several studies have tried to improve the management of diluted wastewater exceeding sewer system capacity with a view to protecting the natural environment and to limit flooding in case of intense rainfall. Some of these solutions involve the detention of diluted wastewater, which is treated in the existing wastewater treatment plants. Storm water detention tanks are widely used for mitigating impacts of combined sewer overflows into receiving water bodies Several examples of their effectiveness have been reported worldwide and have been applied in different scenarios, i.e., hydrological conditions, morphology of the area and different types of rainy events [18,19,20,21]. The system discharged the diluted wastewater into a CSO, which, in the case of intense rainfall, divided the upstream flow in two, so that one flow was directed to a pumping station on the other
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