The project SchussenAktivplus (Reduction of micropollutants and potentially pathogenic bacteria for further water quality improvement of the river Schussen, a tributary of Lake Constance) focuses on technologies capable to reduce the release of micropollutants and potentially pathogenic bacteria into surface waters via sewage treatment plants of different size and via rain overflow basins of different types. As a model river in a highly populated catchment area, the river Schussen and, as a control, the river Argen, two tributaries of Lake Constance, are under investigation in this project. The efficiency of different cleaning technologies will be monitored by a wide range of exposure and effect analyses including chemical and microbiological techniques as well as effect studies ranging from molecules to communities.
The project aims at providing a scientifically sound concept for an extended sewage and rainwater treatment in densely populated river catchment areas in view to reduce micropollutants and hygienic relevant pathogens (incl. antibiotic-resistant bacteria) in surface waters.
By a combination of chemical and microbiological analyses (including studies on antibiotic-resistant bacteria) and effect-oriented biological studies which reflect consequences of the applied technologies for biota in the rivers from the molecular to the community level, the effectiveness of the applied technologies will be recorded. In addition, the optimization of the test assays characterizing exposure and effects is envisaged.
SchussenAktivplus is a joint project with contributions from 19 institutions. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within the research focus “NaWaM – Sustainable water management” in the context of the funding measure “RiSKWa – risk management of new pollutants and pathogens in the water cycle”. The funding priority NaWaM combines the global activities of the BMBF in the water within the BMBF-Research Framework Programme “FONA – Research for Sustainable Development”. The project is also cofunded by the Ministry of Environment Baden-Württemberg. In addition, Jedele & Partner GmbH, Ökonsult GbR, the city of Ravensburg, the AZV Mariatal and the AV Unteres Schussental financially contribute to the project.
Partners: University Tübingen, KIT Karlsruhe, University Stuttgart, University Brno, ISF Langenargen, imbe Avignon, TZW Karlsruhe, Jedele & Partner Gmbh, Ökonsult GbR, BBW Achberg, GÖL Starzach, Hydra Konstanz
Website: http://schussenaktivplus.de/en
Start: January 2012
End: June 2016
Funding agency: Federal Ministry of Education and Research, FKZ 02WRS1281A-L