Environmental and economic profile of six typologies of wastewater treatment plants

The objective of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is to prevent pollution. However, it is necessary to assess their sustainability in order to ensure that pollution is being removed, not displaced. In this research, the performance of 24 WWTPs has been evaluated using a streamlined Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with Eutrophication Potential (EP) and Global Warming Potential (GWP) as environmental indicators, and operational costs as economic indicators. WWTPs were further classified in six typologies by their quality requirements according to their final discharge point or water reuse. Moreover, two different functional units (FU), one based on volume (m3) and the other on eutrophication reduction (kg PO43− removed) were used to further determine sustainability. A correlation between legal requirements and technologies used to achieve them was found: Organic matter removal plants were found to be less costly both in environmental and economic terms if volume was used as the functional unit, while more demanding typologies such as reuse plants showed a trade-off between lower EP and higher cost and GWP; however, this is overcome if the second FU is used instead, proving the sustainability of these options and that this FU better reflects the objectives of a WWTP.

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► 24 WWTP were assessed using two environmental indicators and an economic one.
► Two different functional units were used, m3 and kg PO43− eq. removed/m3.
► Plants were grouped according to the legal requirements their effluents have to fulfill.
► Advanced treatment was required in order to fulfill more stringent requirements.
► A reduction in eutrophication resulted in an increase in global warming and costs.