Wastewater Treatment Boosts River Methane Emissions Fivefold
Research by Ida Peterse and Lisanne Hendriks from Radboud University reveals that rivers receiving treated wastewater emit five times more methane than those without such discharge. The study, published in Science of The Total Environment, measured methane emissions along the Linge and Kromme Rijn rivers, finding a significant increase in emissions two kilometers downstream from wastewater treatment plants. The treated water, while meeting Dutch standards, still contains nutrients like nitrogen and phosphate, promoting algae growth and subsequent methane production by microorganisms. This highlights the environmental impact of treated wastewater on riverine methane emissions.
