Water Quality Hub

This section includes an orientation on the threat of impaired water quality, interviews with thought leaders, insights from leading research studies, and frameworks for action. We encourage new entrants and seasoned practitioners alike to learn more and explore emerging insights from the field.

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• Expert Interviews

Turning the Tide on Sewage Pollution in the UK: An Interview with Surfers Against Sewage

Surfers have long been on the frontline of sewage pollution as untreated wastewater is routinely pumped into coastlines in many parts of the world. Our Shared Seas spoke with Hugo Tagholm, the CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, to learn how the organization is working to end sewage pollution in the UK through data collection, campaigning, and public engagement.

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• Expert Interviews

Key U.S. Water Wins in 2021 and What’s Ahead in 2022: An Interview with the Water Foundation

In 2021, civil society and the Biden Administration ushered in a game-changing era of water investments—the largest investment in our water and wastewater infrastructure since the passage of the Clean Water Act. Our Shared Seas sat down with Jen Sokolove of the Water Foundation to understand how philanthropy and NGO partners can help maximize those funds to benefit communities, freshwater, and coasts in 2022 and beyond.

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• Research Digests

Unpacking Nature-based Solutions and Co-Benefits: A Primer

Nature-based solutions are increasingly entering the dialogue as an option to support climate mitigation and adaptation objectives while delivering co-benefits like pollution reduction and restored coastal habitat. This article describes the nuanced differences between nature-based solutions, green infrastructure, and blue carbon – and where these approaches may provide win-wins for people and planet.

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• General Articles

Innovative sewage solutions: Tackling the global human waste problem

Sewage and wastewater pollution directly impacts water quality and ocean health, but fortunately we have a toolkit of effective solutions at hand. This article from Mongabay recaps the landscape of affordable and scalable solutions, featuring insights from renowned experts.

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• Expert Interviews

Seminal Study Maps Impacts of Wastewater on Coastal Ecosystems: An Interview with Dr. Ben Halpern

A new study is the first of its kind to map nitrogen inputs from wastewater pollution in 130,000 watersheds around the world. In this interview, Dr. Ben Halpern shares insights from the study to shed light on how to use these findings to prioritize management interventions and minimize tradeoffs for ocean health.

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• General Articles

Water Quality and Ocean Conservation: How Funders Can Engage

Water quality threatens to undermine the success of many conservation initiatives, but there are numerous ways that ocean funders can address this cross-cutting issue through their existing strategies. This article provides recommendations on ways funders can engage on water quality to achieve their objectives—whether related to small-scale fisheries and MPAs or public health and environmental justice.

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• Research Digests

Why 30×30 Success Depends on Good Water Quality

As the global community devotes growing attention and resources to securing an agreement to protect 30 percent of the ocean by 2030, it has generally overlooked wastewater pollution as a threat to ecosystems. This primer explains how wastewater pollution is driving coastal water quality declines, including in existing MPAs, and what is needed to support efforts like 30×30.

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• Expert Interviews

Holistic Management of Marine Ecosystems Must Include Water Quality: An Interview with Dr. Amelia Wenger

Our Shared Seas spoke with Dr. Amelia Wenger of the University of Queensland and Wildlife Conservation Society about how wastewater impacts coastal ecosystems and human health. Learn more about land-based threats, as well as how researchers, funders, and practitioners can work across silos to implement solutions now.

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• Expert Interviews

Addressing Coastal Water Quality Improves Marine Conservation and Human Health: An Interview with Alison Bowden

Nutrient pollution from sewage and stormwater is a significant threat in many coastal environments and has crosscutting consequences on human health and ecosystems. In this interview, Alison Bowden of The Nature Conservancy explains how addressing coastal water quality can improve climate resilience, commercial fisheries, and livelihoods.

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• Research Digests

How Wastewater Affects Nearshore Fisheries

Healthy coastal fisheries, which are crucial to livelihoods and food security for billions of people worldwide, depend on good water quality. This research digest unpacks these connections and explores solutions for ensuring optimum water quality for people and fisheries.

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• Research Digests

Sewage Pollution Primer

This primer provides an orientation to sewage pollution and the threats that this largely unmonitored and understudied issue presents to ocean health, human health, and coastal economies and livelihoods.

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• Expert Interviews

Sewage Pollution is a Solvable Threat: An Interview with Dr. Stephanie Wear

Dr. Wear shares why this issue is relevant to marine conservation, human health, and gender equality. She also discusses how funders can get involved in implementing solutions.

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• Research Digests

Blue Solutions: Seagrass Ecosystems as an Alternative to Built Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure

This digest focuses on a groundbreaking study that identifies ways seagrasses mitigate disease risks for both humans and marine organisms, underscoring how these ecosystems could provide a ‘blue solution’ for sewage pollution.

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• Expert Interviews

Innovations in Sewage Pollution Solutions: An Interview with Dr. Christopher Gobler

For decades, Dr. Christopher Gobler has been producing groundbreaking studies revealing the relationship between sewage pollution, harmful algal blooms, ocean acidification, and marine ecosystems. In this interview, he explores emerging technologies.

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• Research Digests

Sewage Pollution Threatens the Safety of the Global Seafood Supply

This study synopsis indicates that sewage pollution may contaminate downstream food sources from far distances and be more prevalent in seafood than previously realized.

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• Perspective Piece

Leveraging Behavioral Insights to Solve Our Sewage Pollution Crisis

This guest perspective explores opportunities to leverage behavior change and human-centered design as a tool to accelerate culturally-appropriate solutions for sewage pollution worldwide.