Vulnerability assessment of wastewater treatment plants using a territorial multi-hazard multi-scale approach

Abstract

Extreme natural events are becoming more frequent and intense also due to climate change (Pang et al., 2023). The effects are expected to intensify, resulting in new challenges for infrastructure resilience. In this scenario, waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) are a critical component of the industrial infrastructure (Casson Moreno et al., 2018). These facilities play an essential role in public health and environmental protection, particularly in densely populated areas where large volumes of wastewater are generated. To estimate the effects of extreme events it is certainly important to identify areas (location) and related infrastructures (function) that may be damaged by these events. Most of the scientific studies on hazard assessment methodology have focused on single hazard approaches. This approach is useful to address the risk of a specific hazard, but it has significant limitations when it is applied for overall assessment (Novelli et al., 2024). The objective of this study is to assess wastewater treatment plants vulnerability applying a multi-hazard approach to the Sicilian territory. This approach will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the risks. It will allow for the development of more effective resilience strategies for these critical infrastructures.