Archive News

April 3, 2025To predict toxic algal blooms, researchers from Eawag recommend a combination of species identification and chemical measurements. Now, a new study confirms that there is no magic formula and that, instead, specific indicator molecules are needed for each lake.

March 26, 2025Not only are the numbers of species declining, but the composition of species communities is also changing. This is shown by a new study published in the journal “Nature”.

March 14, 2025Laboratories play an important role in effective water quality monitoring. The Eawag department of Sanitation, Water and Solid Waste for Development (Sandec) is collaborating on the REACHLabs project, which is analysing the effectiveness of fit-for-purpose (FFP) laboratories in rural areas of low- and middle-income countries. FFP labs are laboratories designed to meet specific local operational and management needs of rural water supplies.

March 11, 2025Storage hydropower plants contribute to the energy transition, but also affect river ecosystems. Sustainable management should not only account for individual hydropeaking events, but also their cumulative effects.

March 7, 2025New methods are making it possible to gain a more precise understanding of the role of organic molecules in the functioning of ecosystems. Researchers from Eawag and University of Zurich are therefore calling for a new “ecology of molecules”.

March 6, 2025For a long time, Eawag's research focus was primarily on water quality. Questions relating to hydrology, bed load or flooding tend to be investigated at WSL or ETH. Eawag is now strengthening its expertise in this area. Today, the ETH Board appointed hydrologist Paola Passalacqua as joint professor at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering and at Eawag.

February 18, 2025Last week, the ‘Blue Summit Switzerland’ water conference was held at Reichenau Castle. Themed ‘Switzerland's water reservoir also needs new solutions!’, more than 100 participants, including 20 national and cantonal politicians, attended.

February 13, 2025Each year, tens of thousands of chemicals enter the market and ultimately the environment. While most of these compounds undergo safety testing before approval, their long-term effects on wildlife remain difficult to predict. To better estimate their potential threat for ecosystems, researchers at Eawag have explored biochemical signatures that indicate the level of chemical stress suffered by fish.

February 12, 2025The conditions in mountain huts often make it difficult and impractical to meet the requirements for wastewater treatment. A new approach to assessing cleaning performance could change that.

February 11, 2025The public can take part in a survey to decide on the names of two fish species discovered by Bárbara Calegari and her colleagues. In this interview, the biologist explains where they live and how to make the diversity of our waters visible.