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

Abstract

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