Abstract
Climate change and sea level rise (SLR) increasingly is observed to be impacting important, yet “out of sight” underground water infrastructure and resources including onsite wastewater treatment systems (OSWTs), groundwater and drinking water wells. Negative impacts can result in serious environmental and public health issues, with underserved communities being at greater risk. SLR degrades water quality by intrusion in aquifers and/or well head flooding. Elevated chloride and sodium impacts water taste, poses health risks, and increases the corrosivity of water, subsequently increasing leaching of heavy metals (lead, copper, and zinc) from plumbing, and mobilizes other metals (cadmium, chromium, mercury) within soils to groundwater. SLR impact on OSWTs is complex with remediation presenting significant challenges. OWTSs rely on adequate soil quality and depth for a substantial portion of treatment of nutrients, organics, and pathogens. With SLR and elevated water table, the depth of soil is reduced, subsequently decreasing wastewater treatment effectiveness and increasing health risks and system malfunction. Additionally, elevated chloride and sodium impacts important treatment characteristics of soil including structure and microbial communities and can interfere with the function of advanced treatment units by suspending organics and reducing beneficial microbial populations. Sustainable solutions to these SLR impacts require a combination of technological, managerial and policy development and implementation. As SLR impacts increase, a commitment to truly innovative and alternative approaches are needed. These and other challenges and possible solutions are discussed.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Technical, Political, and Social Responses
KEYWORDS
SLR, WASTEWATER, GROUNDWATER, WELLS, WATER-QUALITY, MITIGATION
