Statistical Analysis of Wastewater Drivers in All Large Treatment Plants of England

Abstract

The availability of geospatial data across the water cycle is expanding globally, with England offering a comprehensive range of high-quality, openly accessible datasets. Concurrently, wastewater systems face significant challenges, including network capacity limitations, an increasing number of spills, and the threat of emerging pollutants to water bodies and public health. To address these issues, we developed the first national dataset of wastewater signatures and sewershed characteristics across 799 sewershed and applied multiple linear regression (MLR) models to identify the key drivers and sources of wastewater flows and spills. Focusing on large wastewater treatment plants across England, the study incorporates diverse catchment characteristics and effluent signatures. Results indicate that precipitation is the primary driver of effluent flow variability and spills. This key relationship appears at the national scale, while at company/regional scale the signal becomes less clear, highlighting the value of national-scale analyses. These findings provide a foundation for further development of this dataset to aid in modelling of wastewater dynamics and the development of targeted management strategies.