How might climate change affect wastewater treatment operations?

Climate change is likely to lead to higher pollutant loads in wastewater treatment operations due to increased rainfall intensity and more frequent storm events. These conditions can cause runoff from both urban and rural areas to enter wastewater systems, bringing with them a variety of contaminants such as nutrients, chemicals, and pathogens.

As climate change progresses, extreme weather events may increase, resulting in higher volumes of stormwater entering treatment plants. This influx of untreated or partially treated water can exceed the capacity of existing systems, creating challenges in maintaining effective treatment and potentially leading to environmental pollution if overflow occurs.

This aspect of climate change particularly influences the operational requirements for wastewater plants, which may need to adapt by upgrading systems to handle these higher pollutant loads effectively.