Sudden or progressive change in the environment adversely affects the lives or living conditions of people who may have been displaced from their origin. When environmental degradation occurs or sudden onset hazards impact vulnerable areas, people may be forced to move and relocate to areas that then require new infrastructure. The new infrastructure should be built to be resilient and strong enough to endure the impact of future natural hazards.

Excluded people hold the least power to influence decision-making whilst decisions regarding construction are usually made with people who hold significant relative power. Normally excluded people should be consulted regarding potential environmental impacts and regarding their personal needs and dependencies on the local environment.

Air pollution
Soil pollution
Water pollution
Eutrophication
Loss of biodiversity and ecosystems
Natural Resource depletion
Soil erosion

Construction of water treatment facilities can lead to the following environmental impacts:

· Unsustainable depletion of natural resources.
· Air, water, soil pollution and damage to ecosystems
· Blockage of drainage channels and watercourses
· Increase in waste dumping and/or waste going to landfill
· Increase in greenhouse gas emissions
· Reduction in surface water infiltration
· Stripping of natural vegetation cover and soil loss

Environmental impacts of constructing water treatment facilities often include unsustainable depletion of natural resources to provide construction materials. They also frequently include air, water, and soil pollution and damage to ecosystems; blockage of drainage channels and watercourses; increase in waste dumping and/or waste going to landfill, and increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

Construction activities can lead to a reduction in surface water infiltration and groundwater depletion due to excess or soil compaction. Stripping of natural vegetation cover and reduction in soil quality, nutrients, and ultimately soil loss can also occur.

Construction materials can consume non-renewable or low-regenerative-capacity natural resources impacting negatively the areas where they are extracted. For example, deforestation in order to obtain wood or river banks erosion due to sand extraction activities.

Impacts can be reduced through developing a Construction Management Plan that is well implemented and closely monitored to ensure:

· Sustainable sourcing of materials
· Identify and eliminate potential air, water, soil pollution and damage to ecosystems
· Identification and protection of drainage channels and watercourses
· Minimise waste
· Select lower greenhouse gases producing materials or methods
· Minimise vegetation stripping
· Use of efficient, well-maintained plant and equipment

Construction impacts on the environment can be reduced through developing a strong Construction Management Plan that is well implemented and closely monitored to ensure sustainable sourcing of natural resources to use as construction materials; identification of potential air, water, soil pollution and damage to ecosystems, and method statements to prevent pollution and damage; identification of existing drainage channels and watercourses and method statements to prevent their blockage; assessments of waste sources and volumes and method statements to minimise waste, maximise re-use and to prevent dumping and minimise waste going to landfill; identification of low greenhouse gas-producing materials, such as alternatives to using high volumes of cement; identifying and protecting existing surface water infiltration/groundwater recharge; carefully planning and minimising stripping of natural vegetation cover and soil loss – replanting wherever possible; use of efficient, well maintained construction plant and equipment.

Materials lifecycles, from extraction to eventual re-use or disposal, should be considered. The initial design should promote future recycling, reusing, or repurposing.

Materials selection could be diversified to minimize dependencies on a single source.

In many countries, the environmental impacts of constructing water treatment facilities include the unsustainable depletion of natural resources to provide construction materials. They also frequently include air, water, and soil pollution and damage to ecosystems; blockage of drainage channels and watercourses; increase in waste dumping and/or waste going to landfill, and increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

Construction activities can lead to a reduction in surface water infiltration and groundwater depletion due to excess or soil compaction. Stripping of natural vegetation cover and reduction in soil quality, nutrients, and ultimately soil loss can also occur. Construction materials can consume non-renewable or low-regenerative-capacity natural resources impacting negatively the areas where they are extracted. For example, deforestation in order to obtain wood or river banks erosion due to sand extraction activities.

The UK has reduced this impact over time through undertaking environmental impact assessments to fully understand the potential impacts on natural resources, rivers, air, soil, and groundwater, and then developing plans to avert or substantially reduce these potential impacts.

Percentage (by unit so it can be comparable) of renewable, recyclable, and reused materials used in the construction of water and sanitation facilities.

Prevention of environmental damage

Time, expertise, and budget for developing, implementing, and monitoring a good practice Construction Management Plan.