The lecture series

Lina Baumann/Josué Cumpa (Integrale RV), Natalia Anekina (EPC), Thomas Berendonk (TUD Hydrobiology, IDEAL+ReBioClim), Peter Krebs (TUD Urban Water Manegement, IDEAL), Diana Burghardt (TUD Groundwater Management, CRossWATER)

General introduction to the lecture series "Water without Borders"; Introduction to the work of the European Project Center; Introduction to different water matrizes: I) Surface water and urban rivers; II) Wastewater and municipal Wastewater treatment plants; III) Groundwater management

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

Dana Komínková; Michal Bílý; Kateina Berchová (CZU Environmental Sciences, Ecology and Applied Ecology, Praha, 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.

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

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

Sediments in cross-border rivers act as both sinks and secondary sources of pollutants, influencing water quality and ecosystem health across national boundaries. The lecture address: processes of pollutant accumulation, transport, and remobilization in riverine sediments, with examples from regions affected by industrial, agricultural, and military activities. Special focus will be given to the monitoring, managing, and remediating contaminated sediments in transboundary contexts, where environmental policies and responsibilities often differ. The lecture will highlight the importance of cooperative approaches and joint management strategies to ensure sustainable river basin protection (link to IDEAL).

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

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.

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

Zhao Chen (TUD Groundwater Management, CRossWATER), Sławomir Sitek (US Earth Science, Katowice, CRossWATER)

The project CRossWATER (Interreg Saxony-Poland) focuses on transboundary groundwater management for a climate-resilient drinking water supply in the European City of Görlitz-Zgorzelec. The following aspects are addressed: increasing the climate resilience of the European city of Görlitz-Zgorzelec, improving the security of the drinking water supply and ensuring sustainable use of the cross-border groundwater system.

9. Authorities to the regulation of water quality (Surface water, wastewater, groundwater)

10. WATER AND THE CITY: Restoring urban streams - Chances for biodiversity, adaption to climate change and better quality of life

Nora Franzke (TUD Hydrobiology, ReBioClim) Karol Mrozik (PULS, Poznań, ReBioClim) Yehan Wu (TUDelft, ReBioClim)

The project ReBioClim targets urban suitable solutions to restore streams in cities. But where to begin? Starting points for restoration activities are formulating urban stream restoration goals, assessing conditions of watercourses, prioritising stressors and performing spatial analysis to extract synergies and conflicts for urban stream restoration.

11. WATER AND THE CITY: Participative approaches to foster urban stream restoration and acceptance of natural-based solutions (NbS)

Claudiu Forgaci (TUDelft, ReBioClim) Jan Macháč (UJEP, Ústí nad Labem, ReBioClim) Ralf Uwe Syrbe/ Henriette John (IÖR, Dresden, ReBioClim)

We will present examples of participative approaches utilised in ReBioClim to engage and collaborate with stakeholders to foster urban stream restoration and raise acceptance of natural-based solutions in urban areas.