We are intend to evaluate the effects of treated wastewater on the eco system in a river. Is there any parameter or method that could be used to reach above target?
In highly urbanized areas, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent can represent a significant component of freshwater ecosystems. As it is impossible for the composition of WWTP effluent to match the composition of the receiving system, the potential exists for effluent to significantly impact the chemical and biological characteristics of the receiving ecosystem.
At sites upstream of effluent input, the urban and suburban rivers differe significantly in chemical characteristics and in the composition of their sediment bacterial communities. Although effluent resulte in significant increases in inorganic nutrients in rivers, surprisingly, it also resulte in significant decreases in the population size and diversity of sediment bacterial communities.
in chemical and biological properties upstream of the WWTPs, are almost indistinguishable downstream. results suggest that WWTP effluent has the potential to reduce the natural variability that exists among river ecosystems and indicate that WWTP effluent may contribute to biotic homogenization.
so you will need these parameters:temperature,chemical and biological characteristics of receiving ecosystem before and after discharging
(WWTP)effluent,nutrients,bacterial communities...read more here.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3592216/
See enclosed... this is the Canadian approach to quantifying the effects of point source pollution for metal mines, but can be adapted for any type of point source discharge. For WWTP in particular, you would want to focus water and sediment monitoring on Nitrogen, Phosphorus, BOD and DOC.
Thanks Pouneh and Dave! The information and files you provided really help!
It depends on what 'effects' you are hoping to quantify. Your first effort should be to get a solid understanding of the treatment process employed at your local WWTP. Your WWTP is probably required to do significant daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual testing (different parameters are sampled on different schedules). You should request copies of their results, and contemplate how the observed quantities and constituents might affect ecosystem function.