Research Projects
ZuKoWa
Project:
Sustainable water management of municipal water suppliers in times of climate change (ZuKoWa)
Duration:
01.03.2025 - 29.02.2028
Project Coordinator:
University Potsdam, Stefan Norra
Project Partner:
- Universität Potsdam, Bodenkunde und Geoökologie
- Universität Potsdam, Optische Sensorik und Spektroskopie
- Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Angewandte Geowissenschaften
- Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Troposphärenforschung
- SchwarzwaldWASSER GmbH
- Stadtwerke Brühl GmbH
- Joswig Ingenieure GmbH
- Fraunhoferinstitut für Solare Energiesysteme
Abstract:
Climate change is causing a change in precipitation patterns with sometimes extremely long dry periods and increased heavy rainfall in the summer months as well as a lower proportion of snowfall in the winter months, even at higher altitudes, which has a negative impact on the quantity and quality of spring water supplies. In municipalities whose drinking water supply is dependent on spring discharges, this poses new challenges for securing the quantity and quality of drinking water for the population in the future.
ZukoWa aims to develop, implement and operationalize measurement infrastructure, purification and water management concepts for these municipalities that will enable them to ensure drinking water safety in the long term. This is to be carried out using the example of 5 municipalities in the Black Forest together with the responsible water management companies.
The concept is transferable to other municipalities and their drinking water supply systems both nationally and internationally. The concepts developed will be incorporated into the further development of water management standards, regulations and norms via the participating water management companies. The know-how gained from the project enables the SMEs involved in the project to strengthen their competitiveness and open up new markets.
In two sub-projects, Hydroisotop is pursuing the development of locally adapted, modular water treatment systems and the use of isotope methods to determine the water balance of spring water.