Pipe Dreams: Urban Wastewater Treatment for Biodiversity Protection

• Main Authors: Caitlin Cunningham, Mohammad Gharipour
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-01-01
• Series: Urban Science
• Subjects: urban wastewater treatment; constructed wetlands; habitat loss
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/2/1/10

Wastewater treatment systems in urban areas of the United States have reached a critical replacement age. From century-old, deteriorating systems raw sewage overflows into basements, streets and surface waters. In economically depressed cities, sewage overflows are frequent and heavily fined, costing municipalities millions of dollars. Pollution by untreated wastewater severely degrades aquatic and wetland ecosystems and exacerbates serious risks to public health. Necessary and extensive clean water infrastructure repairs are imperative to protect the health and habitat of humans and other organisms. As accelerating human development contributes to wide spread losses of naturally occurring wetlands, dwindling patches of habitat native plant and animal species rely on for survival are further threatened. Within this alarming situation is an opportunity to rebuild and retrofit our wastewater treatment systems with infrastructure that enhances long-term ecosystem sustainability.