Mains water leakage: implications for phosphorus source apportionment and policy responses in catchments

Gooddy, Daren C.; Ascott, Matthew J.; Lapworth, Dan J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7838-7960; Ward, Robert S.; Jarvie, Helen P.; Bowes, Mike J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0673-1934; Tipping, Edward ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6618-6512; Dils, Rachael; Surridge, Ben W.J.. 2017 Mains water leakage: implications for phosphorus source apportionment and policy responses in catchments. Science of the Total Environment, 579. 702-708. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.11.038

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.11.038

Abstract/Summary

Effective strategies to reduce phosphorus (P)-enrichment of aquatic ecosystems require accurate quantification of the absolute and relative importance of individual sources of P. In this paper, we quantify the potential significance of a source of P that has been neglected to date. Phosphate dosing of raw water supplies to reduce lead and copper concentrations in drinking water is a common practice globally. However, mains water leakage (MWL) potentially leads to a direct input of P into the environment, bypassing wastewater treatment. We develop a new approach to estimate the spatial distribution and time-variant flux of MWL-P, demonstrating this approach for a 30-year period within the exemplar of the River Thames catchment in the UK. Our analyses suggest that MWL-P could be equivalent to up to c.24% of the P load entering the River Thames from sewage treatment works and up to c.16% of the riverine P load derived from agricultural non-point sources. We consider a range of policy responses that could reduce MWL-P loads to the environment, including incorporating the environmental damage costs associated with P in setting targets for MWL reduction, alongside inclusion of MWL-P within catchment-wide P permits.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.11.038
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Rees (from October 2014) Shore
ISSN:	0048-9697
Additional Keywords:	GroundwaterBGS, groundwater, phosphate, eutrophication, mains water leakage, health, policy, Point source pollution, Surface water interaction
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment Hydrology
Date made live:	07 Feb 2017 09:59 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/516134

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.11.038

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Rees (from October 2014)
Shore

ISSN:

0048-9697

Additional Keywords:

GroundwaterBGS, groundwater, phosphate, eutrophication, mains water leakage, health, policy, Point source pollution, Surface water interaction

NORA Subject Terms:

Ecology and Environment
Hydrology