Die Ringvorlesung

Lina Baumann/Josué Cumpa (Integrale RV), Natalia Anekina (EPC), Thomas Berendonk (TUD Hydrobiology, IDEAL+ReBioClim)

1. WASTEWATER - ALL CLEAR !?

Markus Ahnert, Jakob Benisch (TUD Urban Water Management, Project IDEAL)

Municipal wastewater is one of the main sources of pollution in our rivers and lakes. Wastewater originates from a variety of sources, including households, industrial plants, and—mixed with rainwater—surface runoff, resulting in a very complex composition. Wastewater contains varying concentrations of nutrients, chemicals, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, microplastics and much more. Furthermore, the highly fluctuating nature of wastewater generation poses an additional challenge for treatment. This event will examine these issues in the context of current and future requirements.

2. WASTEWATER OVER BORDERS: (Eco-)toxic monitoring over borders - Do we need to heal our rivers?

Sara Schubert, Annika Schubert (TUD Hydrobiology, Project IDEAL)

Ecotoxicology as an interdisciplinary field examines and assesses the effects of chemicals on organism, population and ecosystem level. An effect-based monitoring in cross-border rivers is a useful tool for identifying sources of pollution and assessing the risks they pose. The project IDEAL focuses on the influence of wastewater on the health status of selected border rivers in Saxon and Bohemian Switzerland.

3. WASTEWATER OVER BORDERS: Bitter pills – from remedy to water polluter? "Bittere Pille - Vom Heilmittel zum Gewässerverschmutzer"

Bertold Renner, Annemarie Lippert, Sara Schubert (TUD Medical Faculty Clinical Pharmacology, Project IDEAL)

The use of medicines, especially antibiotics, is a vital component of our society. In urban areas in particular, there is a constant inflow of pharmaceutical compounds into wastewater. The talk will examine perspectives of pharmacology, pharmacy and environmental science: Use and fate of specific pharmaceuticals (from EU UWWTD), regional practices of prescription, hospitals as hotspots, polluter-pays-principle of EU, wastewater monitoring as a tool in pharmacology e.g. in selected border rivers and WWTPs in Saxon and Bohemian Switzerland.

4. RIVER OVER BORDERS: Sediments as a sink for pollutant inputs in crossborder rivers

Josef Trögl, Karim Al Souki (UJEP Faculty of Environment, Ústí nad Labem, CZ, Project IDEAL)

5. RIVER OVER BORDERS: Assessment of ecological status of rivers. From chemical and biological quality of rivers to invasive plants growing along the rivers.

Dana Komínková- ecological status and WFD; Michal Bílý – Aquatic biota as indicator of water quality; Kateina Berchová – Invasive plants (CZU Fac. of Environmental Sciences Ecology and Applied Ecology, Praha, CZ, Project IDEAL)

The lecture will be divided to 3 parts. The first one will focus on assessing ecological status of water bodies according to water framework directives, the second one on aquatic biota (especially macroinvertebrates) as an indicator of surface water quality and the last one on vegetative biotope and invasive plants growing along the rivers, how to control invasive species across borders and may they affect the rivers.

6. WATER AND THE CITY: Urban stream syndrome – what is wrong with our urban rivers and streams?

Dana Komínková (CZU Fac. of Environmental Sciences, Ecology, Praha, CZ, Project IDEAL)

The lecture will focus on different aspects of urban streams deterioration, from alternated hydrology, to changes in morphology, chemistry, leading to low biodiversity of aquatic organisms. What are the causes and what are the consequences of urban stream syndrome? The lecture will be accompanied by case study of Prague urban streams.

7.WATER AND THE CITY: Restoring urban streams to promote Biodiversity, Climate adaptation and to improve quality of life in cities

8. WATER AND THE CITY: Participatory approaches to promoting renaturation and acceptance of nature-based solutions for urban rivers

9. WATER AND THE CITY: Transboundary groundwater management for a climate-resilient water supply in the European City of Görlitz-Zgorzelec - CRossWATER (Interreg SN-CZ)

11. WASTEWATER OVER BORDERS: KARL – what is it, where did it come from and what comes after?

Felix Dobritz (DWA), Marek Maťa (CzWA), Martin Srb (CzWA, STP operator Praha, CZ) (German and Czech Water Assiciations, Project IDEAL)

The general topic will shine a light on the current legislation framework on wastewater in Europe with focus on the cross-border region of Germany and Czech Republic. Especially on the EU-wide introduction of a fourth treatment stage to remove trace substances at large and very large wastewater treatment plants, significantly stricter limits for phosphorus and nitrogen and the proposed energy neutrality requirements in wastewater treatment. This legislation is called KARL in short in Germany- the revised EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD). It is not only a milestone for water protection, but also a challenge for the water branch.