RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article T1 Assessing eco-efficiency of wastewater treatment plants: A cross-evaluation strategy A1 Sala Garrido, Ramón A1 Maziotis, Alexandros A1 Mocholi Arce, Manuel A1 Molinos Senante, María K1 Aguas residuales Depuración K1 Water Pollution Control K1 Regulation K1 Greenhouse gas emissions K1 Benchmarking K1 Regulación K1 Emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero K1 Evaluación comparativa K1 3308.10 Tecnología de Aguas Residuales AB Evaluating the eco-efficiency of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is crucial for enhancing environmental and economic performance in the water utility sector. Previous studies in this area estimated WWTP eco-efficiency through self-evaluation, which might have led to overestimation and biased policy recommendations. To address these issues, this study applies a cross-evaluation strategy, combining self-evaluation and peer-evaluation, to assess the eco-efficiency of WWTPs. The empirical application focuses on a sample of Spanish WWTPs, yielding the following key findings. Average eco-efficiency scores were 0.353 and 0.230, for self-evaluation and global peer-evaluation approaches, respectively, confirming the overestimation of eco-efficiency scores based on self-evaluation. If WWTPs were eco-efficient, they could potentially reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 0.39 kg CO2eq/year. The application of reliable methods, such as peer-evaluation, for eco-efficiency assessment of WWTPs provides water regulators with a comprehensive understanding of the environmental and economic performance of WWTPs. This knowledge guides decision-making, policy development, and resource allocation, facilitating sustainable and efficient wastewater management practices. PB Elsevier SN 0048-9697 YR 2023 FD 2023 LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/60663 UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/60663 LA eng NO Science of The Total Environment, 2023, vol. 900, 165839 NO Producción Científica DS UVaDOC RD 24-jun-2024