Media Releases
The English translations do not always appear simultaneously with the German texts. See German page for latest version.
11 March 2013
Baselland21 Regional Water Supply project begun
The
"Basel-Landschaft 21 Regional Water Supply" project will examine
current contamination issues and threats to groundwater and drinking water, as
well as structural shortcomings in the water supply system. Appropriate
solutions for the Canton will be developed from the examples in order to ensure
the high quality of the drinking water. [...]
11 March 2013
Improvement of the Chriesbach stream in Dübendorf for nature and leisure
Having been heavily built up over the past century,
the Chriesbach stream in Dübendorf will soon be returned to its natural state.
A diverse range of animals and plants stand to benefit from this
revitalisation. Not only this, but those who are looking for rest and
relaxation will also be able to find this along the course of the revived
stream. Eawag will be taking advantage of the improvement project to integrate
its "own" stream into their educational and research work. [...]
5 March 2013
One law to rule them all – sizes within a species appear to follow an universal distribution
Researchers
at Eawag and EPFL discovered what might be a universal property of size
distributions in living systems. If valid throughout the animal
kingdom, it could have profound implications
on how we understand population dynamics of large ecosystems.
Flocks of birds, schools of
fish, and groups of any other living organisms might have a mathematical
function in common. Studying aquatic microorganisms, Andrea Giometto, a
researcher EPFL and Eawag, showed that for
each species he studied, body sizes were distributed according to the
same mathematical expression, where the only unknown is the average size
of the species in an ecosystem. His article was published in PNAS in
March 2013. [...]
21 February 2013
Teamwork against mutant free riders
Pathogenic salmonellae rely on a division of
labour: some of them see to the common wellbeing, while others are able to stand
up to free rider salmonellae better. This teamwork bears certain similarities to
that of bee and ant colonies and is the salmonellae’s recipe for success in
colonising the gut. [...]
13 February 2013
Research cooperation at Lake Kivu
The main findings of the most recent research partnership project “Lake Kivu:
Learning from the past for managing its future”, were presented in two workshops
in Kigali and Bukavu. Researchers from the Kigali Institute of Science and
Technology (Rwanda), the Institut Supérieur Pédagogique of Bukavu (DR Congo) and
Eawag had jointly investigated this fascinating lake during the past three
years. [...]
24 January 2013
Drinking water unexpectedly rich in microbial life
Flow cytometry (FCM) can now be officially used for
the quantification of microbial cells in drinking water. The new analytical method
– developed at Eawag and extensively tested both in Switzerland and abroad –
has been incorporated into the Swiss Food Compendium (SLMB) by the Federal
Office of Public Health (FOPH). FCM provides much more realistic results than
the conventional method, in which bacterial colonies are grown on agar plates. The
results demonstrate that even good-quality drinking water harbours 100 to 10,000
times more living cells than the conventional plate count method would suggest. [...]
3 December 2012
5 million support for new Chair in limnology
EPFL, Eawag and
Ferring Pharmaceuticals today are inaugurating a Chair for the study of lake
environments. The Margaretha Kamprad Chair will be supported by Ferring
Pharmaceuticals, who will provide CHF 5 million in the context of a
private-public partnership. It will be dedicated to the study of lake
ecosystems, which are fragile and often heavily affected by human activity. Alfred
Wüest, head of the Aquatic Physics at Eawag, has been nominated to hold the
Chair. The inauguration tooks place in the presence of Frederik Paulsen, CEO of
Ferring, and Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of Ikea. [...]
29 November 2012
Martin Wegelin donates entire prize money
As he had intimated when the J.
E. Brandenburger Foundation announced him as the 2012 prize winner, Martin
Wegelin confirmed, at the award ceremony on Saturday 24th November in Chur, that
he would be dividing the entire prize money of 200,000 Swiss francs between the
Sodis Project (CHF
150,000) and the organisation Terres des femmes (CHF 50,000). [...]
28 November 2012
One step closer to
"space climate" forecasting
The Sun
determines the course of the planets. But the planets may also exert an
influence on the Sun. Their configurations appear to be responsible for
long-term cycles of increased solar activity. Scientists at Eawag and the ETH
Zurich, in collaboration with colleagues from Spain and Australia, have
compared cycles of solar magnetic activity over the past 10,000 years – as
reconstructed from ice cores – with the action of the planets. The agreement
observed is very striking, raising hopes that our ability to forecast periods
of intense solar activity may ultimately be improved. This is becoming
increasingly important as our society is ever-more dependent on technologies
such as satellite communications and navigation systems – as well as power
grids – which can be disabled by major solar eruptions. [...]
23 November 2012
Underwater Invasion: Ballenberg or McDonalds?
On invitation of
Eawags department for Aquatic Ecology over 40 experts from local and central
government, environmental consultancies and research organisations participated
on 31st October the first workshop on aquatic invasive species. Far too often,
it is ‘just’ goldenrods or grey squirrels that are talked about – and what
creeps in or is introduced under the surface of the water gets forgotten. [...]
29 October 2012
Hong Yang appointed Titular Professor at the University of Basel
In September 2012, the title of “Titularprofessorin
für nachhaltige Wassernutzung” (Associate Professor for Sustainable Water Use)
was conferred on Hong Yang (Siam). Hong Yang has been a researcher at Eawag in Dübendorf
since 1999 and heads up the research group for Water, Environment and Food
Security. Her research interest lies in understanding the impact of increasing
water scarcity on food security and in assessing the impact of food trade. Hong
Yang is well known for her studies in “virtual water” and has made the concept
more widespread. [...]
25 October 2012
Great honour for «Mister Sodis» Martin Wegelin
The Foundation Dr. J.E. Brandenberger is honouring Martin Wegelin, who was for
25 years a researcher at Eawag. Martin Wegelin has been awarded with the prize
of 200,000 francs for achievements in the field of solar water disinfection and
in particular the Sodis project. The foundation’s president and former
councillor of states, Mr. Carlo Schmid, said that Wegelin’s commitment and
engagement rendered it possible that today Sodis is supported by many
organizations and promoted by different stakeholders. [...]
12 October 2012
First ozonation facility being built in Dübendorf
On 2nd October 2012 the foundation stone was laid in the Neugut water treatment
plant for the first ozonation facility in Switzerland [pdf, German]. On the basis
of the findings of the Micropoll project of the Federal Office for the
Environment (FOEN), which Eawag was closely involved in, a change to the water
protection law was submitted for consultation in April. This provides for around
100 of the 700 water treatment plants in Switzerland to be fitted with special
purification technology for micropollution. [...]
28 September 2012
Eawag scientist has been appointed full professor at ETH Zurich
The ETH
Board has appointed Eawag researcher Dr. Max Maurer as full professor of Urban
Water Systems at ETH Zurich. Max Maurer is department head of the department
Urban Water Management (SWW). His current field of interest is the engineering
potential of innovative approaches to urban water management and innovative
management and planning procedures in water infrastructure. In the information
bulletin of the ETH Board [pdf] the Board states: “With Max
Maurer’s appointment, the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic
Engineering gains a scientist with a reputation as a driving force in inter-
and trans disciplinary research in the internationally relevant topic of urban
water management.”
15 August 2012
Swiss Researchers invent a new Toilet
There are 2.6
billion people in the world who have no access to a decent toilet. An
interdisciplinary team of Swiss aquatic researchers and designers from Austria won
with their invention as part of the 'Re-invent the Toilet' competition,
sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation a special recognition award.
The new toilet model will provide a sanitary solution that ensures human
dignity and hygiene, while also being environment-friendly and economically
feasible. All for less than five Cents per day and person. [...]
10 August 2012
Pardo d'onore for Eawag film producer
Swiss
filmmaker Peter-Christian Fueter has won a Pardo d’onore at the Festival
del Film Locarno,
August 10, 2012. Swiss cinema lovers probably know Fueter from the
Oscar-winning Film «Reise der Hoffnung» or one of his later successes, «Grounding»
or «Mein Name ist Eugen» but less people will know that one of Fueters very
early works was the Eawag/VGL-film: «Abfall – Schattenseiten des Überflusses»
(Waste – the dark side of abundance), produced in 1969 and its short version
for cinemas «Nur so weiter…» (Just carry on…). Idea and mandate for this piece
came from Eawag-director Prof Otto Jaag who was in the same time president of
the Union for Water and Air Conservation
(VGL). [...]
6 August 2012
Swiss cities among those with highest cocaine consumption in European comparison study
Daily consumption of cocaine in Europe amounts to ca. 360
kilograms. This is the report of an international team of scientists, among them
researchers from Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and
Technology. Published in the current issue of the professional journal Science
of the Total Environment is an investigation of sewage from ca. 15 million
people in 19 European cities for various drugs. Comparable analyses in
Switzerland show elevated cocaine use in comparison with other European cities. [...]
22 June 2012
Recognizing the Needs of the Aquatic Environment
The aquatic environment provides us with many valuable services, including
a supply of drinking water and fish as well as various means of transportation
and places of recreation. Attempts to provide these services with technological
solutions would be futile or prohibitively expensive. This is why it is
essential to recognize the needs of aquatic systems such as natural bodies of
water and to preserve them by limiting their exploitation and protecting them from
pollutants and the excessive nutrient inputs.
Around 250 scientists,
water-management professionals, public administrators and politicians will be
attending Eawag’s annual Info Day conference today, Friday the 22nd
of June, to learn about the latest Eawag research results relating the subject «The aquatic environment – what it provides and what it needs». [...]
14 June 2012
A health check for European streams
In a unique field experiment, ten research groups from nine
different countries have studied the ecological status of 100 streams across
Europe. This was the first study to make extensive use of leaf-litter breakdown
as an assessment method. The findings of the study - in which Eawag played a key
role - are reported in the latest issue of Science. [...]
11 June 2012
For more effective water resources management
Janet G. Hering, director of Eawag and professor at EPFL and
ETHZ, published together with Prof Karin Ingold (Eawag and University Bern) a
commentary in the latest issue of Science. She calls for a more pragmatic
approach to integrated water resource management. [...]
10 June 2012
Predicting the formation of new species
When animals or plants colonize new habitats, a
number of new species may evolve from a single ancestor. But it is difficult to
predict on the basis of environmental conditions or species-specific traits
alone whether and to what extent diversification will occur. An Eawag study of African
lake cichlids has now shown what combination of extrinsic factors and intrinsic
traits leads to high rates of speciation, thus promoting biodiversity. [...]
25 May 2012
Eawag researcher has been appointed EPFL professor
At his meeting of 23rd/24th May 2012 the ETH Board has appointed Alfred (Johny) Wüest as full Professor of Aquatic Physics at Ecole Politechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). At the same meeting the ETH Board Prof. Dr. Hansruedi Siegrist was appointed as Member of Eawag Directorate at the request of the director of Eawag, Janet Hering. [...]
3 May 2012
Eawag Annual Report 2011
In the new
Eawag Annual Report you can discover what lake sediments tell us about the
floods of the last 12 000 years in the Alpine region, and how easy it is to
obtain clean drinking water even in developing countries using a simple
membrane filter. Or you can find out why Swiss tap water has so many bacteria,
how wastewater treatment plants can produce fertilizer, and what cryptic
species are. As usual, in addition to the facts and figures, the annual report
yields up-to-date insights into the diverse research, teaching and consulting
activities conducted by Eawag scientists.
Reproduction
of texts contained in the Annual Report is permissible with citation of the
source (Eawag – aquatic research: Annual Report 2011). [...]
25 April 2012
Micropollutants: Government set to specify financing
for WWTP development
The Federal Council today opened
the consultation process concerning an amendment to the Swiss Water Protection Act.
The proposed amendment provides for a Switzerland-wide ‘polluter pays’ solution
to finance the development of selected waste water treatment plants to combat
rising levels of micro pollutants. Eawag has played a significant role in the
development and evaluation of the concept as well in the drafting of measures designed to reduce the
trace substances that come from medicines and chemicals. [...]
26 March 2012
Explaining biodiversity patterns in river
networks
In a study published this week in the scientific
Journal Proceedings of the National
Academy of Science (PNAS), researchers from EPFL, Eawag and University of
Princeton show that the specific river-like network structures of habitats
create unique biodiversity patterns. The study is the first to experimentally
link river-like network structure with characteristic distributions of species
observed in real rivers. [...]
22 March 2012
UN Water Prize for SODIS
The United Nations “Water for Life Award” goes this year to the Fundación SODIS in
Bolivia. The non-profit organisation, founded in 2001 by staff from Eawag and DEZA, disseminates
simple and appropriate solutions with regard to water and waste water in Latin
America. Over the past 11 years, Fundación SODIS has educated more than 1.2
million people in the method of solar water disinfection (SODIS), and has meantime expanded
its work to other topics such as hygiene and sanitation solutions. The prize
will be awarded today, 22 March, on the World Water Day,
at a ceremony at the FAO in
Rome. [...]
22 March 2012
Antibiotic resistance genes accumulating in Lake Geneva
Large quantities of antibiotic-resistant bacteria enter the
environment via municipal – and especially hospital – wastewater streams.
Although wastewater treatment plants reduce the total number of bacteria, the
most hazardous – multiresistant – strains appear to withstand or even to be
promoted by treatment processes. This was demonstrated by Eawag researchers in
a study carried out in Lake Geneva, near Lausanne. [...]
16 February 2012
Loss of fish species caused by lake europhication
Within a relatively short period, eutrophication has
led to a reduction of almost 40% in the number of endemic whitefish species in
Swiss lakes. Only in deep perialpine lakes least exposed to high nutrient
inputs – such as Lakes Thun, Brienz and Lucerne – has the original diversity of
endemic species been able to survive. But even these species have become less
genetically distinctive. These findings are reported in a study by Eawag and
Bern University researchers, published in Nature
today. [...]
1 February 2012
Recognition Award for Eawag and Kloten/Opfikon Water Treatment Plant
Working together with
the Kloten/Opfikon water treatment plant, Eawag researchers have developed a
means of producing fertilizer from wastewater, and thereby saving energy and
raw materials. As one of three projects nominated for the Swiss Environmental
Prize, this innovative project was honoured at the awards ceremony on Tuesday,
January 17, 2012 with a special recognition award. The Environmental Prize went
to Neurobat AG for its work in developing an intelligent HVAC controller. [...]
5 December 2011
Eawag News 71: Geographic information systems in environmental observation
Geographic
information systems (GIS) are indispensible in environmental research and
monitoring. They are an effective tool for presenting facts in a comprehensible
manner and helpful for interdisciplinary exchange and communication with the
public. Further topics: the potential of hydroelectric power in view of nuclear
power phase-out, toads need more space and matured woods, the history of our
climate as told by ice cores. [...]
1 December 2011
Tiny life forms thriving again in Lake Zurich
While elsewhere species extinction is proceeding at an
ever-increasing rate, plankton biodiversity in Lake Zurich is apparently
benefiting from rising temperatures and the successful measures against
over-fertilization. Begun in the 1970s, this course of action may have a
long-term positive effect on fish diversity, although it is too soon to tell.
The new species are being watched closely by the water supply company, for some
of them can produce harmful substances. [...]
24 November 2011
IWA Development Solutions Awards 2011 goes to Sandec
At the 2nd
IWA Development Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 21st November the
inaugural IWA Development Solutions Award was given to the department Sandec of
Eawag. The IWA Development Solutions Award is given to organisations in
recognition of outstanding innovation or contribution to science and practice
which has led to demonstrable uptake, impact or influence at national, regional
or international levels in low and middle income countries. [...]
1 September 2011
The Swiss lakes: no longer black holes
An international
research team under the leadership of Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of
Aquatic Science and Technology, and the Natural History Museum in Bern is quite
literally getting to the bottom of the lakes in and around the Alps. The fish
population is being documented scientifically in “Projet Lac” more
systematically than ever before. Early investigations in the Murtensee have
brought to light results that could not be ascertained from the fishery statistics
in use up to now. [...]
19 July 2011
Developing a toilet with a built-in water recovery system
Reinventing the toilet – this is the ambitious goal being pursued by an interdisciplinary team led by Eawag. The end product of the project is to be a toilet which collects source separated urine and faeces for further treatment, while recycling used water on site. This project is now to receive around USD 400,000 in funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. [...]
21 June 2011
Healthy water resources - balancing the needs of humans and the environment
What does society want to do or what must it do to ensure clean water and
maintain sound bodies of water? Aquatic research at Eawag in the fields of
drinking water, wastewater and water ecology have been providing an important
contribution for 75 years in order to find answers to these questions, backed up
by scientific evidence - both in the water-rich Switzerland and globally. On
Wednesday, 22 June 2011 Eawag will celebrate its 75th anniversary with an
information day under the motto "Healthy water resources - balancing the needs
of humans and the environment". [...]
31 May 2011
Submarine in Lake Geneva
Two Russian MIR submarines arrived in Le Bouveret on
Lake Geneva today. An international team of scientists headed by ETH Lausanne
will use these to get to the bottom of "Lac Léman" in the coming
months in the truest sense of the word. Four of the projects are being directed
by Eawag. Their focus is on the Rhone Delta. Giant cubes of sediment collected
here over thousands of years and formed underwater canyons. [...]
8 April 2011
Anniversary brochure 75 years of Eawag
In six chapters, the brochure "The highlights of Eawag" provides an
insight into water research in the past, the present and the future. Because it
was always one of Eawag's strengths to learn from the past, be active in the
present and plan for the future, as Directress Janet Hering writes in the
editorial. You can scroll through the brochure (Flash version) in German, French
or English or download it as a pdf file (6.5MB). Printed copies are also available free of
charge at info@eawag.ch. [...]
31 March 2011
Award for climate friendly Eawag project
Zurich Insurance Companyhas awarded a special prize to the Eawag project
"Nitrogen recycling with air stripping at the sewage treatment plant
Kloten/Opfikon". The project, realised by the ARA Kloten/Opfikon and the team
around Marc Böhler, financed by the "Amt für Abfall, Wasser, Energie und Luft
(AWEL) " of the canton Zurich), received a special prize within the scope of the
Zurich Climate Award ceremony. [...]
25 February 2011
What wasps can tell us about sex
Whether an individual parasitoid wasp reproduces
sexually or asexually is determined by a single gene. This new finding, reported
by an Evolutionary Ecology research group from Eawag, the ETH and Zurich University,
could help to answer a central question of evolutionary biology – and could
also be of interest for biological pest control. [...]
15 February 2011
New CAS in Integrated Water Resource Management
Together with the University of Applied Sciences in Bern and other universities and Non-Profit-Organisations Eawag offers a new CAS (Certificate of Advanced Studies) about “Integrated Water Resource Management” (IWRM). It is concerned with the process of promoting the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources in order to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital eco-systems. [...]
17 January 2011
Millions of Vietnamese using arsenic-tainted drinking water
Health-threatening
levels of arsenic and other toxic elements may contaminate drinking water used
by seven million inhabitants of Vietnam's Red River delta, according to a
study. Researchers have known for more than a decade that groundwater in parts
of Southeast Asia contains naturally occurring arsenic, at levels which exceed
the World Health Organization's (WHO) safety standards. [...]
4 January 2011
Corals provide evidence of changes to oceanic currents through Global Warming
Examination
of deep sea corals reveals that there have been drastic changes to oceanic
currents in the western North Atlantic since the 1970s. The influence of the cold
water Labrador Current, which is in periodic interchange with the warm Gulf
Stream, has been decreasing continually since the 1970s. Occurring at the same
time as Global Warming this phenomenon is unique in the past 2000 years. These
results are reported by researchers from the University of Basel and Eawag in
the current edition of the scientific journal «PNAS». [...]
22 November 2010
Two awards for Eawag scientists
Prizes for work by up-and-coming researchers have been
awarded to not one but two young Eawag scientists. Last weekend Linda Roberts
received the Otto Jaag Water Protection Prize for her dissertation on arsenic
levels found in Bangladeshi paddy fields and Natacha Pasche was presented with
the 2010 Hydrobiology- Limnology Award for her dissertation on nutrient
cycling and methane production in Lake Kivu in Africa. [...]
14 October 2010
Urine as a Commercial Fertilizer?
The separate collection of urine provides innovative
opportunities for the improvement of sanitation and the recycling of nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium. Urine separation is an excellent sanitation solution,
particularly in places where classic sewer-based sanitation is not sustainable.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is providing a grant of 3.0 million US
dollars to support a joint project by the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic
Science and Technology (Eawag) and the eThekwini Water and Sanitation utility
(EWS) in South Africa to continue developing practical, community-scale nutrient
recovery systems. [...]
11 October 2010
Reservoirs: a neglected source
of methane emissions
Substantial amounts of the greenhouse gas methane are
released not only from large tropical reservoirs but also from run-of-the-river
reservoirs in Switzerland, especially in the summer, when water temperatures
are higher. This was demonstrated by Eawag scientists at Lake Wohlen, near Bern
– a finding which slightly tarnishes the reputation of hydropower as a climate-neutral
way of generating electricity. [...]
1 September 2010
New head of Ecotoxicology Centre
On 1 September Dr. Inge Werner took up her new position as Head of the Ecotox Centre at Eawag and EPFL. Inge Werner joins the Centre from the University of California in Davis, USA, where she spent the last 5 years heading the Aquatic Toxicology Laboratory (ATL) and teaching in her capacity as Adjunct Professor. The ATL is a government-certified laboratory studying water quality and the health of aquatic ecosystems across California. [...]
26 August 2010
International award for the joint project of Eawag and Wasserversorgung Zürich
An
interdisciplinary team consisting of members of Eawag and «Wasserversorgung Zürich» (Zurich Water
Company) won the Muelheim Water Award. The jury selected the
Swiss project among 23 international applications because it presented a new,
practical method for the evaluation of drinking water. [...]
28 July 2010
Reducing wastewater treatment costs and energy consumption
While Switzerland's wastewater treatment plants are of a high technical standard, the elimination of nutrients remains costly and energy-intensive. Eawag has now further developed a biological process which simplifies the removal of nitrogen from sludge digester liquid, reducing costs by 50% for this treatment step. [...]
22 June 2010
Decline of freshwater species
The decline of biodiversity
represents a loss of natural capital for future generations. Freshwater
ecosystems are particularly affected. So far, measures to protect genetic
diversity in rivers and lakes have failed to halt the downward trend. What is
widely underestimated, according to Eawag scientists, is the extent to which
reduced habitat diversity also prevents species formation, thus accelerating
the spiral of decline. [...]
15 June 2010
Eawag Researcher wins Dutch Zoology Prize
The Eawag researcher Martine Maan received the. Dutch Zoology Prize of the Royal Dutch Zoological Society (KNDV) last week. The prize has been awarded to Dr. Martine Maan "in acknowledgement of her high-quality research on speciation and sexual selection in Dendrobatidae and cichlids". The title of her scientific publication is "On the selective forces that drive the origin, maintenance and evolutionary consequences of animal color diversity". [...]
7 June 2010
Insights into Eawag research: 2009 Annual Report
The latest Eawag Annual Report, combining scientific and financial information, provides an up-to-date review of the wide range of activities initiated or completed at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology in 2009. [...]
7 June 2010
Seven successful PhD students
In May 2010, seven PhD students, who have carried out most of their doctoral work
at Eawag, received their PhD degree on the graduation party at the Federal
Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH). The scientific education of the students
is based on the close collaboration of Eawag and ETH Zurich in research and
education. [...]
20 May 2010
Two Eawag scientists appointed as professor at EPF Lausanne
At its meeting on 19 March 2010 the ETH Borad appointed two scientists from
Eawag as full professor resp. as adjunct professor at EPF Lausanne. Dr. Janet
Hering, Director of Eawag and a full professor at ETH Zurich, was appointed as
full professor of environmental chemistry at the school of architecture, civil
and environmental engineering at EPF Lausanne. And Dr. Kristin Schirmer, Head of
the Department of Environmental Toxicology at Eawag, will be adjunct professor
at EPFL. [...]
17 May 2010
Eawag researcher Eberhard Morgenroth has given his inaugural lecture at ETH Zurich
Eawag researcher Eberhard Morgenroth, the appointed successor to Willi Gujer for
the ETH chair of Urban Water Management, has given his inaugural lecture at ETH
Zurich. The video of the lecture can be found here. In the following
interview he explains why he decided to accept this position, what he likes
about Eawag and why he would have liked to meet the former director of Eawag
Werner Stumm. [...]
3rd April 2010
'Self' container destroyed by fire
Shortly after 2.15pm on Good Friday, 2nd April, the Self container for
autonomous living and working burned to the ground. The self-contained unit,
which is completely independent of mains water and energy services, is a joint
project of Empa, Eawag, the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and the
University of Applied Sciences of Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW). The unit was
located on an area of open grassland adjacent to the Museum for Design in
Zurich's District 5. The fire services succeeded in extinguishing the flames but
could not save the building. [...]
26 January 2010
Measuring rainfall with mobile phone antennas
As
rain interferes with radio signals, Eawag researchers have been able to measure
rainfall using data supplied by the mobile telecommunications company Orange. The
new method offers greater spatial resolution than traditional point measurements
provided by rain gauges. In the future, this could be combined with intelligent
control systems for sewer networks so as to reduce water pollution in urban
areas. [...]
14 January 2010
Drinking roof water and showering with sewage water
"self" is an energy and water independent cell for living and working.
The joint project of Empa, Eawag and the Zurich University of Arts will be
presented to the public for the first time at the Swissbau in Basel from January
12 to 16, 2010. [...]
14 January 2010
Watt d'Or energy award for Eawag
Energy savings can be achieved through sustainable management of water supplies:
this has been demonstrated by the commune of Gordola in Canton Ticino, the
winner of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy’s prestigious Watt d’Or award in
the “Society” category for 2010. Among those who contributed to this success is
Eawag, which was involved in a number of research and consulting projects
supporting the commune’s efforts to implement a modern, sustainable water supply
system. [...]
22 December 2009
Toxic arsenic removed from fields by monsoon floodwaters
As a result of irrigation
with arsenic-rich groundwater, this toxic substance can accumulate in paddy
soils and – at high concentrations – may ultimately find its way into rice
plants. In a study published in Nature
Geoscience, researchers from Eawag and the ETH Zurich collaborating with
scientists from Bangladesh have shown that a certain amount of arsenic is released
from soils into floodwaters during the monsoon season. [...]
11 December 2009
New Board Member with research focus on aquatic evolutionary biology
At the request of Prof. Dr. Janet Hering, the Director of the Water Research
Institute Eawag and Member of the ETH Board, the ETH Board
has appointed Prof. Dr. Jukka Jokela as a Member of the Board as of January 1,
2010. [...]
19 November 2009
World Toilet Day: Creating Value from Urine
To commemorate the international World Toilet Day 2009, Eawag is
highlighting an innovative research project from Nepal which combines improved
sanitation with increased food security. The STUN project, funded through
Eawag’s discretionary funds in 2008/9, investigated the feasibility of
collecting urine to produce a phosphorus-based fertilizer called
struvite. [...]
17 November 2009
Membrane technology as a key water treatment process
Membrane
technology is playing an increasingly important role in drinking water
treatment. The latest developments in this area were discussed by experts from
Switzerland and abroad at a conference held on 16 November 2009 in Dübendorf,
jointly organized by the Swiss Gas and Water Industry Association (SVGW) and
the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag). [...]
5 October 2009
Secrets of the lake floor of Lake Maggiore
Topographical
surveys of Swiss lake floors have never been performed in such detail before. With the aid of a sophisticated sonar system, the Swiss Federal
Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology Eawag can produce three-dimensional images which show channels
and other structures at the bottom of Lake Maggiore with centimetre-scale accuracy. [...]
1 October 2009
Swiss strategy against micropollutants
Last Thursday, the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment
(FOEN) presented its synthesis report on the MicroPoll project, in which Eawag
played a major role, to the media. The conclusion drawn by the chief Swiss
environmental authority in the report is that retrofitting 100 wastewater
treatment plants is the most effective way of preventing contamination from
micropollutants in urban drainage systems. Complementary to this, measures are
also needed to reduce contamination at the source. [...]
29 September 2009
Arsenic in the water - Eawag - The Bright Star in the Research Sky
Science Watch generates "star maps" of a different kind. The science
monitoring agency of Thomson-Reuters detects networking patterns by analysing
publications and the frequency of their citation. This analysis shows the
trend-setting articles in the respective field of research and their
interconnection. In April 2009, Science Watch concentrated on the issue "Arsenic
Water Pollution". Not very surprising: among the 24 "core papers" (of the period
2003-2008), no less than five were written at Eawag or with the participation of
Eawag researchers. [...]
25 September 2009
Researchers' Night 2009 in Zurich
Researchers' nights traditionally take place all over Europe on the
fourth Friday of September. On September 25th 2009, the downtown area around
«Bürkliplatz» will become an exciting science market (5 pm – midnight). Eawag
and the Ecotox Centre will have 5 presentations. Juliane Hollender will speak on
board of a Zurich lake boat (science talks). Numerous dynamic and engaging
formats – science market, science show, competitions, science bars, special
program for children and teenagers guarantee an exciting evening. [...]
25 August 2009
Drinking Water in the 21st Century
In the cross-cutting project
Wave21, Eawag carried out research on future methods of drinking water
treatment with a variety of private-sector and water utility partners. The
Final Report – “Wave21: Drinking Water in the 21st Century” – has now been
published. The integrated project focused on supplies sourced from surface
waters, and in particular on the relationship between raw water parameters and individual
treatment steps. [...]
19 August 2009
Solar Water Disinfection put to test
A recent study [1] of Solar Water Disinfection
(SODIS) has attracted substantial media attention for its negative findings on
the SODIS process, in which water is disinfected by placing it in PET bottles
and exposing it to sunlight. The investigators reported that the incidence of
diarrheal diseases was not significantly decreased in an intervention group as compared
with a control group. The authors of the study suggest to "hold off"
on new promotion campaigns for the method. This would be wrong. [...]
31 July 2009
Sex to keep parasites at bay
One
of the most fascinating questions in biology is why large parts of the animal
and plant kingdom go to the trouble of reproducing sexually. A study led by
Eawag has now shown that, in the long run, sexual reproduction offers
advantages in protecting populations against parasites. [...]
23 June 2009
Micropollutants in water resources: prevention - assessment - removal
Sooner or later, chemicals
– and increasingly also nanoparticles – from textiles, pharmaceuticals,
cosmetics or construction materials inevitably end up in natural waters. Here,
they may pose risks for animals and plants, or even for drinking water safety
and human health. Eawag has shown that precautionary measures should involve
more than general water quality standards, as the effects of contaminants need
to be assessed in a highly specific way. Particular emphasis is to be placed on
preventing inputs to receiving waters: in many places, for example, pollution
is decreased by the expansion of stormwater retention facilities, and – thanks
to cooperation between researchers and industry – changes in the production and
use of bitumen sheets mean that the leaching of biocides can be dramatically
reduced. [...]
2 June 2009
Insights into Eawag research: 2008 Annual Report
The latest Eawag Annual Report, combining scientific and financial/operational
information, provides an up-to-date review of the wide range of activities
initiated or completed at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and
Technology in 2008. [...]
10 March 2009
Vietnamese medals awarded to Eawag scientists
Four Eawag scientists today received official medals from the Vietnamese
government for their achievements in the areas of drinking water quality and
sanitation. The medals were awarded in recognition of “outstanding contributions
to education and training in Vietnam”. With financial support from the Swiss
government, the scientists succeeded in strengthening capacity at two research
centres in Northern Vietnam and improving the quality of local water supplies
and wastewater management. [...]
10 March 2009
Jurassic Park from a Swiss lake?
Ecological changes caused by humans affect natural biodiversity. For
example, the eutrophication of Greifensee and Lake Constance in the 1970s and
1980s led to genetic changes in a species of water flea which was ultimately
displaced. Despite the fact that water quality has since been significantly
improved, this species has not been re-established. This was demonstrated by
researchers from Eawag and from two German universities (Frankfurt and
Konstanz), who analysed genetic material from Daphnia eggs up to 100
years old. [...]
23 January 2009
Eawag Forum Chriesbach: reaping the rewards of sustainable construction
A
five-storey office and research building for 220 people that requires
scarcely more energy from external sources for heating and cooling than
one or two single-family houses? Eawag’s Forum Chriesbach fits this
description. At a meeting held today, two years after the building was
opened, the architects, planners and clients concluded that the
results, in terms of energy use and costs, have been positive. The
internationally renowned Forum Chriesbach is already regarded as a
model for a new generation of buildings, even though there is still
room for optimization. [...]
8 January 2009
New results from climate research using ice cores
A 139m long ice core drilled in the Siberian Altai has now provided new
findings in climate research. Oxygen isotopes in the ice were used to
reconstruct the temperatures in the Altai over the past 750 years. The
scientists discovered a strong link between regional temperatures and the solar
activity in the period 1250-1850, concluding that the sun was an important
driver of preindustrial temperature changes in the Altai. [...]