In not much more than a decade, Makarewicz says, the zebra and quagga mussels have undone years of work and at least $5 billion spent on Lake Erie alone to upgrade water quality by reducing phosphates from fertilizers, detergents, and industrial discharges.
A focus on upgrading water services to piped supplies may help improve safety, including for those drinking stored water.
TRWD has constructed and investigated treatment wetland facilities located near the reservoir to upgrade river water quality, from an eight-year study at a 0.72 ha pilot site, and a five-year study at a 102 ha field-scale site.
Despite a number of adaptation and coping measures that have been implemented in the study area to upgrade drinking water quality and supply, given the magnitude of the problem, the current efforts of individuals and communities are still insufficient.
It said work should be carried out to "upgrade render and... cladding panels", along with "electrical enhancements, lighting upgrade and rewire, mechanical improvements" and upgrading of water quality.
"This will require new approaches to monitoring and management, including increased cooperation between public, private, and academic institutions". According to both O'Mullan and Matthiessen, there will also have to be a renewed focus on upgraded sewage treatment infrastructure, water quality monitoring, and public notification of water conditions.
Clearly, from the deficiencies cited above, there is a need to upgrade the Moroccan legislation on water quality to include a new index.
Many older wastewater treatment facilities require upgrading due to increasingly strict water quality standards, but this is often difficult because of limited space for expansion.
These large disparities put forward an argument for the Moroccan water quality legislation to be upgraded to align water and environmental assessment methods with other countries in order to mitigate the risks of failing to achieve a good ecological status.
The governor said in a statement that even though the state had already spent $5 billion upgrading sewage plants, "as development in nonsewered watershed occurs, water quality worsens due to increased sewage and runoff wastes in those areas.
Water quality should improve as investments are made in upgrading treatment facilities, building green infrastructure, and restoring wetlands and habitat.
