Estimated read time: 2.5 min
Until very recently, the impacts of wastewater pollution on ecological health have been underestimated, under-researched, under-prioritized, and seemingly invisible to the sanitation and environmental conservation sectors. Although there are a few comprehensive investigations into the effects of sewage outfalls on coastal ecosystems, we have begun to realize there is much more to unpack.
A growing group of scientists and conservation practitioners are investigating the unseen consequences of wastewater pollution on aquatic species. And thanks to the work of several Ocean Sewage Alliance partners and collaborators, for the first time ever, the newest edition of the Treatise on Estuarine and Coastal Science includes a comprehensive chapter on the impacts of domestic wastewater pollution on estuarine and marine environments.
This cross-ecosystem synthesis chronicles how under-treated and untreated effluent affects individual organisms all the way up to ecosystem functions and global trends, while demonstrating the need for sustainable wastewater management.
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The diverse team of authors felt compelled to collaborate on this chapter to increase awareness of the immediacy of this threat and to galvanize action within academic and philanthropic circles. The chapter captures a major paradigm shift that is occurring now within the marine conservation community.
Co-author Dr. Brian Silliman explains, “All my colleagues and I were taught wastewater pollution was not a threat, so we taught our students the same. But this chapter synthesizes recent work over the last five to ten years and shows that is very incorrect...The Ocean Health Index taken every few years never asked managers about wastewater as a threat before this chapter and the papers that preceded it came out showing wastewater as gravely underestimated — the Ocean Health Index has now changed because of this effort.”
Lead author Dr. Stephanie Wear, who has championed wastewater pollution for years, sees the chapter as a win for increased discourse around the taboo topic. She reflects, “This chapter plants the threat squarely in the recognized category — which makes it hard to ignore.”
This chapter serves as a powerful catalyst for change, bringing wastewater pollution into the spotlight where it can no longer be ignored. As the science evolves and awareness grows, the focus must now shift toward implementing the solutions outlined here — solutions that not only protect marine ecosystems but also offer vital co-benefits for climate resilience and public health. It’s time for the academic, philanthropic, and conservation communities to rally behind sustainable wastewater management for the future of our oceans and our planet.
TL;DR — Here's what the chapter covers:
- Illustrates the spatial extent and composition of wastewater pollution in estuarine and marine ecosystems globally
- Explores the impacts of wastewater pollution on various ecosystems, including:
- Coral reefs
- Bivalve reefs
- Seagrass meadows
- Mangrove forests
- Salt marshes
- Describes impacts to finfish and marine mammals
- Introduces solutions, including ecosystem-based management strategies, nature-based solutions, technological innovation, and improved monitoring and regulation
- Highlights co-benefits such as contributions to climate adaptation, public health, and resource recovery
