scholarly journals Tracking the Primary Sources of Fecal Pollution in a Tropical Watershed in a One-Year Study

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (5) ◽  
pp. 1689-1696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Toledo-Hernandez ◽  
Hodon Ryu ◽  
Joel Gonzalez-Nieves ◽  
Evelyn Huertas ◽  
Gary A. Toranzos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Fecal Pollution ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
Source Tracking ◽  
Detection Rates ◽  
Content Type ◽  
One Year ◽  
Tropical Watershed

ABSTRACTA study was conducted to determine the primary sources of fecal pollution in a subtropical watershed using host-specific assays developed in temperate regions. Water samples (n= 534) from 10 different sites along the Rio Grande de Arecibo (RGA) watershed were collected mostly on a weekly basis (54 sampling events) during 13 months. DNA extracts from water samples were used in PCR assays to determine the occurrence of fecal bacteria (Bacteroidales,Clostridium coccoides, and enterococci) and human-, cattle-, swine-, and chicken-specific fecal sources. Feces from 12 different animals (n= 340) and wastewater treatment samples (n= 16) were analyzed to determine the specificity and distribution of host-specific assays. The human-specific assay (HF183) was found to be highly specific, as it did not cross-react with nontarget samples. The cattle marker (CF128) cross-reacted to some extent with swine, chicken, and turkeys and was present in 64% of the cattle samples tested. The swine assays showed poor host specificity, while the three chicken assays showed poor host distribution. Differences in the detection of host-specific markers were noted per site. While human and cattle assays showed moderate average detection rates throughout the watershed, areas impacted by wastewater treatment plants and cattle exhibited the highest prevalence of these markers. When conditional probability for positive signals was determined for each of the markers, the results indicated higher confidence levels for the human assay and lower levels for all the other assays. Overall, the results from this study suggest that additional assays are needed, particularly to track cattle, chicken, and swine fecal pollution sources in the RGA watershed. The results also suggest that the geographic stability of genetic markers needs to be determined prior to conducting applied source tracking studies in tropical settings.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Bovine Feces-Associated Microbial Source Tracking Markers and Their Correlations with Fecal Indicators and Zoonotic Pathogens in a Brisbane, Australia, Reservoir

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (8) ◽  
pp. 2682-2691 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Ahmed ◽  
T. Sritharan ◽  
A. Palmer ◽  
J. P. S. Sidhu ◽  
S. Toze
Keyword(s):  
Host Specificity ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Microbial Source Tracking ◽  
Fecal Pollution ◽  
Decay Rates ◽  
Source Tracking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Zoonotic Pathogens ◽  
Maximum Value ◽  
Bovine Feces

ABSTRACTThis study was aimed at evaluating the host specificity and host sensitivity of two bovine feces-associated bacterial (BacCow-UCD and cowM3) and one viral [bovine adenovirus (B-AVs)] microbial source tracking (MST) markers by screening 130 fecal and wastewater samples from 10 target and nontarget host groups in southeast Queensland, Australia. In addition, 36 water samples were collected from a reservoir and tested for the occurrence of all three bovine feces-associated markers along with fecal indicator bacteria (FIB),Campylobacterspp.,Escherichia coliO157, andSalmonellaspp. The overall host specificity values of the BacCow-UCD, cowM3, and B-AVs markers to differentiate between bovine and other nontarget host groups were 0.66, 0.88, and 1.00, respectively (maximum value of 1.00). The overall host sensitivity values of these markers, however, in composite bovine wastewater and individual bovine fecal DNA samples were 0.93, 0.90, and 0.60, respectively (maximum value of 1.00). Among the 36 water samples tested, 56%, 22%, and 6% samples were PCR positive for the BacCow-UCD, cowM3, and B-AVs markers, respectively. Among the 36 samples tested, 50% and 14% samples were PCR positive for theCampylobacter16S rRNA andE. coliO157rfbEgenes, respectively. Based on the results, we recommend that multiple bovine feces-associated markers be used if possible for bovine fecal pollution tracking. Nonetheless, the presence of the multiple bovine feces-associated markers along with the presence of potential zoonotic pathogens indicates bovine fecal pollution in the reservoir water samples. Further research is required to understand the decay rates of these markers in relation to FIB and zoonotic pathogens.

scholarly journals Comparative Analysis of Fecal Microbiomes From Wild Waterbirds to Poultry, Cattle, Pigs, and Wastewater Treatment Plants for a Microbial Source Tracking Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amine M. Boukerb ◽  
Cyril Noël ◽  
Emmanuelle Quenot ◽  
Bernard Cadiou ◽  
Julien Chevé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Bacterial Communities ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Microbial Source Tracking ◽  
Fecal Pollution ◽  
Source Tracking ◽  
Human Pathogens ◽  
Bird Droppings ◽  
Environmental Pathogens

Fecal pollution in coastal areas is of a high concern since it affects bathing and shellfish harvesting activities. Wild waterbirds are non-negligible in the overall signal of the detectable pollution. Yet, studies on wild waterbirds’ gut microbiota focus on migratory trajectories and feeding impact on their shape, rare studies address their comparison to other sources and develop quantitative PCR (qPCR)-based Microbial Source Tracking (MST) markers to detect such pollution. Thus, by using 16S rRNA amplicon high-throughput sequencing, the aims of this study were (i) to explore and compare fecal bacterial communities from wild waterbirds (i.e., six families and 15 species, n = 275 samples) to that of poultry, cattle, pigs, and influent/effluent of wastewater treatment plants (n = 150 samples) and (ii) to develop new MST markers for waterbirds. Significant differences were observed between wild waterbirds and the four other groups. We identified 7,349 Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) from the hypervariable V3–V4 region. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria and, in a lesser extent, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes were ubiquitous while Fusobacteria and Epsilonbacteraeota were mainly present in wild waterbirds. The clustering of samples in non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination indicated a by-group clustering shape, with a high diversity within wild waterbirds. In addition, the structure of the bacterial communities was distinct according to bird and/or animal species and families (Adonis R2 = 0.13, p = 10–4, Adonis R2 = 0.11, p = 10–4, respectively). The Analysis of Composition of Microbiomes (ANCOM) showed that the wild waterbird group differed from the others by the significant presence of sequences from Fusobacteriaceae (W = 566) and Enterococcaceae (W = 565) families, corresponding to the Cetobacterium (W = 1427) and Catellicoccus (W = 1427) genera, respectively. Altogether, our results suggest that some waterbird members present distinct fecal microbiomes allowing the design of qPCR MST markers. For instance, a swan- and an oystercatcher-associated markers (named Swan_2 and Oyscab, respectively) have been developed. Moreover, bacterial genera harboring potential human pathogens associated to bird droppings were detected in our dataset, including enteric pathogens, i.e., Arcobacter, Clostridium, Helicobacter, and Campylobacter, and environmental pathogens, i.e., Burkholderia and Pseudomonas. Future studies involving other wildlife hosts may improve gut microbiome studies and MST marker development, helping mitigation of yet unknown fecal pollution sources.

scholarly journals Development and Evaluation of a Quantitative PCR Assay Targeting Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) Fecal Pollution

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (12) ◽  
pp. 4338-4345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hodon Ryu ◽  
Jingrang Lu ◽  
Jason Vogel ◽  
Michael Elk ◽  
Felipe Chávez-Ramírez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Host Specificity ◽  
Quantitative Pcr ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
False Negative ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
Fecal Pollution ◽  
Source Tracking ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sandhill Crane

ABSTRACTWhile the microbial water quality in the Platte River is seasonally impacted by excreta from migrating cranes, there are no methods available to study crane fecal contamination. Here we characterized microbial populations in crane feces using phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene fecal clone libraries. Using these sequences, a novel crane quantitative PCR (Crane1) assay was developed, and its applicability as a microbial source tracking (MST) assay was evaluated by determining its host specificity and detection ability in environmental waters. Bacteria from crane excreta were dominated by bacilli and proteobacteria, with a notable paucity of sequences homologous toBacteroidetesandClostridia. The Crane1 marker targeted a dominant clade of unclassifiedLactobacillalessequences closely related toCatellicoccus marimammalium. The host distribution of the Crane1 marker was relatively high, being positive for 69% (66/96) of the crane excreta samples tested. The assay also showed high host specificity, with 95% of the nontarget fecal samples (i.e.,n= 553; 20 different free-range hosts) being negative. Of the presumed crane-impacted water samples (n= 16), 88% were positive for the Crane1 assay, whereas none of the water samples not impacted by cranes were positive (n= 165). Bayesian statistical models of the Crane1 MST marker demonstrated high confidence in detecting true-positive signals and a low probability of false-negative signals from environmental water samples. Altogether, these data suggest that the newly developed marker could be used in environmental monitoring studies to study crane fecal pollution dynamics.

scholarly journals Distribution and Differential Survival of Traditional and Alternative Indicators of Fecal Pollution at Freshwater Beaches

2016 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle D. Cloutier ◽  
Sandra L. McLellan
Keyword(s):  
Water Samples ◽  
Environmental Samples ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Fecal Pollution ◽  
Source Material ◽  
Beach Sand ◽  
Differential Survival ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Volume Comparison ◽  
E Coli

ABSTRACT Alternative indicators have been developed that can be used to identify host sources of fecal pollution, yet little is known about how their distribution and fate compare to traditional indicators. Escherichia coli and enterococci were widely distributed at the six beaches studied and were detected in almost 95% of water samples (n = 422) and 100% of sand samples (n = 400). Berm sand contained the largest amount of E. coli (P < 0.01), whereas levels of enterococci were highest in the backshore (P < 0.01). E. coli and enterococci were the lowest in water, using a weight-to-volume comparison. The gull-associated Catellicoccus marimammalium (Gull2) marker was found in over 80% of water samples, regardless of E. coli levels, and in 25% of sand samples. Human-associated Bacteroides (HB) and Lachnospiraceae (Lachno2) were detected in only 2.4% of water samples collected under baseflow and post-rain conditions but produced a robust signal after a combined sewage overflow, despite low E. coli concentrations. Burdens of E. coli and enterococci in water and sand were disproportionately high in relation to alternative indicators when comparing environmental samples to source material. In microcosm studies, Gull2, HB, and Lachno2 quantitative PCR (qPCR) signals were reduced twice as quickly as those from E. coli and enterococci and approximately 20% faster than signals from culturable E. coli. High concentrations of alternative indicators in source material illustrated their high sensitivity for the identification of fecal sources; however, differential survival and the potential for long-term persistence of traditional fecal indicators complicate the use of alternative indicator data to account for the levels of E. coli and enterococci in environmental samples. IMPORTANCE E. coli and enterococci are general indicators of fecal pollution and may persist in beach sand, making their use problematic for many applications. This study demonstrates that gull fecal pollution is widespread at Great Lakes beaches, whereas human and ruminant contamination is evident only after major rain events. An exploration of sand as a reservoir for indicators found that E. coli was ubiquitous, while gull host markers were detected in only 25% of samples. In situ sand beach microcosms provided decay rate constants for E. coli and enterococci relative to alternative indicators, which establish comparative benchmarks that would be helpful to distinguish recent from past pollution. Overall, alternative indicators are useful for identifying sources and assessing potentially high health risk contamination events; however, beach managers should be cautious in attempting to directly link their detection to the levels of E. coli or enterococci.

Biofilm characterization of several wastewater treatment plants with rotating biological contactors in Madrid (Spain)

1998 ◽  
Vol 37 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 215-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Pérez-Uz ◽  
C. Franco ◽  
M. Martín-Cereceda ◽  
L. Arregui ◽  
I. Campos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Ciliate Species ◽  
Level Ii ◽  
Rotating Biological Contactors ◽  
One Year

Ciliate communities were studied in the biofilms of three plants with rotating biological contactors (RBCs) over the period of one year. The aims of this study were: (i) to characterize ciliates to species level; (ii) to determine their abundance and spatial variation through the biological system; and (iii) to relate the spatial segregation and richness of ciliate species to plant performance. A number of species ranging from 33 to 67 were identified at the different plants. The overall best represented groups were peritrichs followed by scuticociliates (Las Matas), cyrtophorids (Boadilla) or hypotrichs (Camarma). Comparison of RBCs and activated sludge communities indicated that even though both were mainly constituted by peritrichs, differences in groups and species composition were observed.

scholarly journals Bacteria from the Genus Arcobacter Are Abundant in Effluent from Wastewater Treatment Plants

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jannie Munk Kristensen ◽  
Marta Nierychlo ◽  
Mads Albertsen ◽  
Per Halkjær Nielsen
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effluent Quality ◽  
Culture Independent ◽  
Influent Wastewater

ABSTRACT Pathogenic bacteria in wastewater are generally considered to be efficiently removed in biological wastewater treatment plants. This understanding is almost solely based on culture-based control measures, and here we show, by applying culture-independent methods, that the removal of species in the genus Arcobacter was less effective than for many other abundant genera in the influent wastewater. Arcobacter was one of the most abundant genera in influent wastewater at 14 municipal wastewater treatment plants and was also abundant in the “clean” effluent from all the plants, reaching up to 30% of all bacteria as analyzed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Metagenomic analyses, culturing, genome sequencing of Arcobacter isolates, and visualization by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) confirmed the presence of the human-pathogenic Arcobacter cryaerophilus and A. butzleri in both influent and effluent. The main reason for the high relative abundance in the effluent was probably that Arcobacter cells, compared to those of other abundant genera in the influent, did not flocculate and attach well to the activated sludge flocs, leaving a relatively large fraction dispersed in the water phase. The study shows there is an urgent need for new standardized culture-independent measurements of pathogens in effluent wastewaters, e.g., amplicon sequencing, and an investigation of the problem on a global scale to quantify the risk for humans and livestock. IMPORTANCE The genus Arcobacter was unexpectedly abundant in the effluent from 14 Danish wastewater treatment plants treating municipal wastewater, and the species included the human-pathogenic A. cryaerophilus and A. butzleri. Recent studies have shown that Arcobacter is common in wastewater worldwide, so the study indicates that discharge of members of the genus Arcobacter may be a global problem, and further studies are needed to quantify the risk and potentially minimize the discharge. The study also shows that culture-based analyses are insufficient for proper effluent quality control, and new standardized culture-independent measurements of effluent quality encompassing most pathogens should be considered.

scholarly journals Occurrence of intestinal parasites in sewage samples and efficiency of wastewater treatment systems in Tunisia

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Sabbahi ◽  
M. Trad ◽  
L. Ben Ayed ◽  
N. Marzougui
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Multiple Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Intestinal Parasites ◽  
Sampling Period ◽  
Hymenolepis Diminuta ◽  
Helminth Eggs ◽  
Wastewater Samples ◽  
One Year ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Systems

Abstract The present study aimed to: (i) identify helminth eggs and protozoan cysts in wastewater samples to which both human and animals could be exposed when they are reused in agriculture; and (ii) evaluate the efficiency of their removal by two wastewater treatment systems (activated sludge and lagoon). For these purposes, 234 wastewater samples (117 raw, 117 treated) were collected from 20 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Tunisia over a one-year sampling period. Parasitic load was enumerated by the modified Bailenger method. The results showed that helminth eggs found were Nematodes mainly represented by Ascaris sp. (95%), Hookworm species (50%), and Enterobius vermicularis (45%). For Cestodes, species identified were Taeniid eggs (85%), Hymenolepis nana (70%), Hymenolepis diminuta (55%) and digestive Strongyles. Among protozoa, Giardia sp., Entamoeba histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii and Entamoeba coli cysts were found in 100% of raw wastewater samples. The overall removal efficiency of helminth eggs and protozoan cysts in the treatment plants ranged from 56.5 to 100% and from 50.4 to 95.5%, respectively. The result from Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) shows that the close clustering of the parasitic mean removal levels indicates that there is little difference in wastewater treatment processes between the WWTPs examined.

scholarly journals Sapovirus in Wastewater Treatment Plants in Tunisia: Prevalence, Removal, and Genetic Characterization

2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (6) ◽  
pp. e02093-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel F. Varela ◽  
Imen Ouardani ◽  
Tsuyoshi Kato ◽  
Syunsuke Kadoya ◽  
Mahjoub Aouni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Bayesian Estimation ◽  
Quantitative Pcr ◽  
Censored Data ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Microbial Risk Assessment ◽  
Microbial Risk

ABSTRACTSapovirus(SaV), from theCaliciviridaefamily, is a genus of enteric viruses that cause acute gastroenteritis. SaV is shed at high concentrations with feces into wastewater, which is usually discharged into aquatic environments or reused for irrigation without efficient treatments. This study analyzed the incidence of human SaV in four wastewater treatment plants from Tunisia during a period of 13 months (December 2009 to December 2010). Detection and quantification were carried out using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) methods, obtaining a prevalence of 39.9% (87/218). Sixty-one positive samples were detected in untreated water and 26 positive samples in processed water. The Dekhila plant presented the highest contamination levels, with a 63.0% prevalence. A dominance of genotype I.2 was observed on 15 of the 24 positive samples that were genetically characterized. By a Bayesian estimation algorithm, the SaV density in wastewater was estimated using left-censored data sets. The mean value of log SaV concentration in untreated wastewater ranged between 2.7 and 4.5 logs. A virus removal efficiency of 0.2 log was calculated for the Dekhila plant as the log ratio posterior distributions between untreated and treated wastewater. Multiple quantitative values obtained in this study must be available in quantitative microbial risk assessment in Tunisia as parameter values reflecting local conditions.IMPORTANCEHuman sapovirus (SaV) is becoming more prevalent worldwide and organisms in this genus are recognized as emerging pathogens associated with human gastroenteritis. The present study describes novel findings on the prevalence, seasonality, and genotype distribution of SaV in Tunisia and Northern Africa. In addition, a statistical approximation using Bayesian estimation of the posterior predictive distribution (“left-censored” data) was employed to solve methodological problems related with the limit of quantification of the quantitative PCR (qPCR). This approach would be helpful for the future development of quantitative microbial risk assessment procedures for wastewater.

scholarly journals ESKAPE Bacteria and Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Isolated from Wastewater and Process Water from German Poultry Slaughterhouses

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mykhailo Savin ◽  
Gabriele Bierbaum ◽  
Jens Andre Hammerl ◽  
Céline Heinemann ◽  
Marijo Parcina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Resistance Genes ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Process Water ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Extended Spectrum ◽  
Clinically Relevant Bacteria

ABSTRACT The wastewater of livestock slaughterhouses is considered a source of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria with clinical relevance and may thus be important for their dissemination into the environment. To get an overview of their occurrence and characteristics, we investigated process water (n = 50) from delivery and unclean areas as well as wastewater (n = 32) from the in-house wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) of two German poultry slaughterhouses (slaughterhouses S1 and S2). The samples were screened for ESKAPE bacteria (Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp.) and Escherichia coli. Their antimicrobial resistance phenotypes and the presence of extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL), carbapenemase, and mobilizable colistin resistance genes were determined. Selected ESKAPE bacteria were epidemiologically classified using different molecular typing techniques. At least one of the target species was detected in 87.5% (n = 28/32) of the wastewater samples and 86.0% (n = 43/50) of the process water samples. The vast majority of the recovered isolates (94.9%, n = 448/472) was represented by E. coli (39.4%), the A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii (ACB) complex (32.4%), S. aureus (12.3%), and K. pneumoniae (10.8%), which were widely distributed in the delivery and unclean areas of the individual slaughterhouses, including their wastewater effluents. Enterobacter spp., Enterococcus spp., and P. aeruginosa were less abundant and made up 5.1% of the isolates. Phenotypic and genotypic analyses revealed that the recovered isolates exhibited diverse resistance phenotypes and β-lactamase genes. In conclusion, wastewater effluents from the investigated poultry slaughterhouses exhibited clinically relevant bacteria (E. coli, methicillin-resistant S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, and species of the ACB and Enterobacter cloacae complexes) that contribute to the dissemination of clinically relevant resistances (i.e., blaCTX-M or blaSHV and mcr-1) in the environment. IMPORTANCE Bacteria from livestock may be opportunistic pathogens and carriers of clinically relevant resistance genes, as many antimicrobials are used in both veterinary and human medicine. They may be released into the environment from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), which are influenced by wastewater from slaughterhouses, thereby endangering public health. Moreover, process water that accumulates during the slaughtering of poultry is an important reservoir for livestock-associated multidrug-resistant bacteria and may serve as a vector of transmission to occupationally exposed slaughterhouse employees. Mitigation solutions aimed at the reduction of the bacterial discharge into the production water circuit as well as interventions against their further transmission and dissemination need to be elaborated. Furthermore, the efficacy of in-house WWTPs needs to be questioned. Reliable data on the occurrence and diversity of clinically relevant bacteria within the slaughtering production chain and in the WWTP effluents in Germany will help to assess their impact on public and environmental health.

A Training Program for Operators of Small Wastewater Treatment Plants

1993 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 43-48
Author(s):  
K. D. Kerri
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Treatment Process ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Training Materials ◽  
Extensive Field ◽  
One Year ◽  
Self Instruction

Operators of small wastewater treatment plants frequently live in remote areas where operator training is not readily available. A training program has been prepared using the techniques of self-instruction, wherein an operator reads a short section of the training material, writes the answers to questions in a notebook, and compares the written answers with suggested answers. The training materials were developed by experienced operators following extensive field studies. First, operators (subject matter experts) for each treatment process prepared an outline of what knowledge and skills (need-to-know criteria) they expected their operators to possess to safely operate and maintain each treatment process in the training manual. Draft chapters were then field tested using operators with varying levels of education and experience to determine the effectiveness of the training materials. Studies conducted on the performance of operators who had participated in the training program and those who had not received the training revealed that trained operators produced a better quality effluent at the same treatment plant over a one-year period. Effective training materials and programs can help operators safely and efficiently operate and maintain small wastewater treatment plants.

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