A conference addresses how to mitigate the effects of climate change on wastewater treatment plants through early warning systems

In southern Europe, climate change will lead to a higher incidence of floods, droughts and a decrease in circulating flows. Therefore, it will be a scenario in which water bodies will be more sensitive to pollution and discharges, which treatment plants will face with more advanced systems and the implementation of new technologies.

As part of the LIFE NAdapta project, an action is being carried out to "Develop an early warning system for possible environmental emergencies at wastewater treatment plants". For this reason, NILSA, the Government of Navarra's public company responsible for wastewater treatment, as a partner entity and with the aim of establishing a space for exchanging experience, information and good practices, has organised, within the framework of the project, a conference on early warning and control systems in wastewater treatment plants to prevent impacts such as uncontrolled dumping, torrential water floods and other extraordinary episodes.

The conferences, held on 12th and 13th December 2018 in Baluarte, were inaugurated by the General Director of Local Administration of the Department of Rural Development, Environment and Local Administration, Xabier Lasa, and included a panel of experts.

Among the topics discussed, the following are noteworthy: successful cases in Vizcaya and Seville in preventive control of treatment plants with a high industrial load; the application of knowledge-based systems to the design and operation of sanitation systems; control strategies at source; decision support and early warning systems, as well as the use of big data.

On the 12th, 79 people attended four presentations on experiences in monitoring sources and early warning systems. On the 13th, five groups (60 people) were organized and their results presented. Later on, some of the attendees visited the wastewater treatment plant in Tudela. Participants gave a very positive evaluation of the working groups carried out, the organisation and the presentations.