The latest news from Eawag

Vermifilter in Geneva, Switzerland (Photo: Kayla Coppens, Eawag)
News
How local materials and climate shape optimal ...
March 30, 2026

The sanitation objective of Sustainable Development Goal 6, sanitation for all, is off-track and far from being completed by 2030. Vermifiltration could help address this gap: The nature-based sanitation management system shows increasing promise globally because of its low cost. Researchers at Eawag’s Sandec department visited vermifilter installations in India and Switzerland to examine how local differences influence their optimal design.

Children fetching water at foot pump in rural Togo (Photo: Jess MacArthur, 2013)
Interview
World Water Day: "Where water flows, equality grows"
March 19, 2026

Since 1992, the United Nations has designated 22 March as World Water Day. In 2026, the theme will be "Water and Gender". What does water have to do with gender equality? And why does access to water determine education, dignity and power? We discuss this with Jessica MacArthur, knowledge broker in Eawag's Research Department for Sanitation and Water for Development (Sandec).

Photo: Linda Strande, Eawag
News
Monitoring Community Health Through Drainage in Kampala
March 12, 2026

Can urban drainage system serve as a proxy for disease surveillance? Eawag and partners in Uganda explore a new approach to public health surveillance.

Eawag environmental chemist Kathrin Fenner explained how AI-based models can be developed and used to predict how chemicals behave. (Photo: Luzia Schär)
News
Research meets the future: AI for sustainability
January 23, 2026

To mark the 2026 World Economic Forum (WEF), the ETH Domain presented highlights from its research, demonstrating how artificial intelligence is paving the way for greater sustainability. Policymakers and business leaders learned about practical AI applications for the environment and society.