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Two decades of system-based hygienic–microbiological research in Swist river catchment (Germany)

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Abstract

A multidisciplinary research project series has sought to identify and better understand multiple hygienic–microbiological and chemical contaminations from both point sources and diffuse pollution to contribute to the improvement in surface water quality. In the catchment area of the river Swist (Germany), municipal sewage treatment plants were investigated, followed by event-based investigation of combined sewer overflows, rainwater retention basins and diffuse pollution by surface and subsurface run-off as well as drain pipes. Recently, retention soil filters installed between stormwater storage basins and receiving surface waters in order to provide further treatment of combined sewer overflows were investigated. Geographical information system analysis helped to examine the data in their temporal and spatial dimensions. A model for calculating microbial and chemical loads within a catchment area was developed (“Swistbox”) which provides an efficient tool for risk assessment. Nearly two decades of investigation has demonstrated that several elements of the landscape’s water balance account for surface water pollution from both diffuse and point sources. Depending on land cover characteristics, wastewater technology and the proportion of wastewater as compared to total river water flow, a source can vary in its importance for the catchment area. The findings can be applied for sustainable and health-sensitive catchment management in relation to recreational or agricultural water use as well as ecological aspects.

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Notes

  1. Investigation of the impact of sewage treatment plants on microbiological surface water quality ("Swist I"), 1999–2001; Kistemann et al. 2008, Kistemann et al. (2012), Rechenburg et al. (2006), Rechenburg and Kistemann (2009).

  2. Investigation of the impact of combined sewage overflows resulting from heavy rainfall on microbiological surface water quality, taking as an example the river Swistbach ("Swist II"), 2002–2004; Kistemann et al. (2012), Rechenburg et al. (2006).

  3. Microbiological contamination of surface waters resulting from diffuse pollution, taking as an example the river Swist ("Swist III"), 2005–2007; Christoffels 2010, Franke et al. (2009), Kistemann et al. (2012), Schreiber et al. (2015).

  4. Examination and evaluation of measures to reduce physico-chemical and hygienic-microbiological contamination of surface watercourses on the example of Swist ("Swist IV"), 2009–2012; Christoffels (2008), Christoffels et al. (2014).

  5. Evaluation of innovative measures to reduce chemical micropollutants and micro-organisms in surface watercourses (ReSMo), 2013-2016.

  6. This German index represents a five-stage ecological classification (I–V) based on the saproby system with special respect to organic substances and oxygen depletion. Core variables are species diversity, species abundance and age structure of fishes. Class II represents a moderate pollution and good oxygen supply. Characteristics are a very high species diversity and abundance of especially algae and benthic invertebrates, larger areas covered by hydrophytes and being a fertile fish water. The biological surface water quality class II corresponds to the quality target “good water quality” defined by the European Water Framework Directive.

  7. The remaining inhabitants, especially of the village Weilerswist, were connected to STPs discharging into other river catchment areas. The burden caused by direct discharge or those from small-scale sewage treatment plants is estimated to be minor due to the overall connection rates to STPs of >98% within the catchment area of the receiving river Erft (MUNLV 2005).

  8. Of course all methods are extensively described in the final project reports (download at http://www.lanuv.nrw.de/landesamt/forschungsvorhaben/; in German language only).

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Acknowledgements

The results were achieved in the context of several R&D projects funded by the Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Agriculture, Conservation and Consumer Protection of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany). The authors would like to thank the Ministry for the funding and the District Council Cologne for administrative and scientific steering of the projects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Hygiene and Public Health, GeoHealth Centre, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105, Bonn, Germany

    Christiane Schreiber, Andrea Rechenburg, Thomas Claßen, Susanne Herbst, Esther Rind & Thomas Kistemann

  2. Institute for Hygiene and Public Health, Water Hygiene Department, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105, Bonn, Germany

    Christoph Koch

  3. Erftverband, Am Erftverband 6, 50126, Bergheim, Germany

    Ekkehard Christoffels, Marlene Willkomm, Franz Michael Mertens & Andrea Brunsch

  4. State Centre for Health of the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia (LZG.NRW), Section Health Assessments and Forecasting, Westerfeldstr. 35/37, 33611, Bielefeld, Germany

    Thomas Claßen

  5. Stadtentwässerungsbetriebe Köln, Hochwasserschutzzentrale (Municipal Drainage Operations Cologne, Flood Protection Control Centre), Ostmerheimer Straße 555, 51109, Cologne, Germany

    Marlene Willkomm

  6. I. Physical Institute, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 77, 50937, Cologne, Germany

    Susanne Herbst

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  1. Christiane Schreiber
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  2. Andrea Rechenburg
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  3. Christoph Koch
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  4. Ekkehard Christoffels
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  5. Thomas Claßen
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  6. Marlene Willkomm
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  7. Franz Michael Mertens
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  10. Esther Rind
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  11. Thomas Kistemann
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Correspondence to Christiane Schreiber.

Additional information

This article is part of a Topical Collection in Environmental Earth Sciences on “Water in Germany”, guest edited by Daniel Karthe, Peter Chifflard, Bernd Cyffka, Lucas Menzel, Heribert Nacken, Uta Raeder, Mario Sommerhäuser and Markus Weiler. Provided Funding information has to be tagged.

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Schreiber, C., Rechenburg, A., Koch, C. et al. Two decades of system-based hygienic–microbiological research in Swist river catchment (Germany). Environ Earth Sci 75, 1393 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-6100-9

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