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An Assessment of the Impact of Inland Surface Water Input to the Bacteriological Quality of Coastal Waters
Author(s) -
WYER M. D.,
JACKSON G.,
KAY D.,
YEO J.,
DAWSON H.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
water and environment journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1747-6593
pISSN - 1747-6585
DOI - 10.1111/j.1747-6593.1994.tb01137.x
Subject(s) - environmental science , sewage , streams , effluent , fecal coliform , bay , water quality , indicator bacteria , hydrology (agriculture) , surface water , shellfish , indicator organism , environmental engineering , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , ecology , aquatic animal , biology , oceanography , geology , computer network , geotechnical engineering , computer science
ABSTRACT The introduction of ultraviolet disinfection in Jersey has achieved significant improvements in water quality. However, bathing waters in St Aubin's Bay and shellfish flesh have failed to comply with microbial standards. Streams and seepages from coastal structures were investigated as potential indicator organism sources (total and faecal coliforms, faecal streptococci). Seepages were an unimportant bacterial source as concentrations were low. Geometric mean concentrations in streams were up to four orders of magnitude higher than in final sewage‐treatment works effluent, and concentrations increased significantly at high stream discharge. Rainfall‐induced pulses of poor water quality occurred two to three times per week during the 1993 summer season. Natural discharges from island catchments thus contribute significantly to the bacterial load received at the coast, especially during high flow events. These observations have implications for other UK and European schemes using tertiary disinfection technology to attain water quality targets in coastal waters.