Owing to the existing or predictable water deficiencies in the South of Portugal, it is necessary to carry out the appropriate management of water resources, by reducing and/or minimizing the negative impacts of untreated/treated domestic effluents in the aquatic environment. As Portugal has a great diversity of ecoclimatic areas, five different stabilization pond systems were chosen to carry out a control study during one year (from March 1991 to March 1992). According to Pina Manique & Albuquerque the ecological classification of these stations is different, varying from Ibero-mediterranean (continental) up to mediterranean (maritime). The physical and chemical parameters studied were: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, BOD, COD, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia and total nitrogen, total suspended and volatile solids, total phosphorus and orthophosphates. The microbiological parameters studied were: total and faecal coliforms, faecal Streptococci, Clostridium perfringens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The correlations between climatic parameters and the efficiency of the removal of organic matter were analysed.
10.1016/0273-1223(95)00509-L