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Solutions
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Water analysis Conducting and evaluating physical-chemical and microbiological water testing in accordance with German Drinking Water Ordinance and other regulations.
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Testing of products and devices Initial testing of products and materials in contact with drinking water. The test centre is accredited for more than 200 product standards.
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Treatment technologies Develop sustainable water supply concepts. Implement, monitor and optimise new technologies. Test and further develop existing treatment methods.
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Micropollutants and microorganisms Development and improvement of determination procedures. Investigating occurrence, behaviour and fate of inorganic and organic trace substances.
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Network management and drinking water installation Advice on safeguarding the quality of drinking water in the distribution system, support in the development of specific network management strategies.
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Risk management Continuous support for water supply companies with risk management of water supply facilities based on comprehensive and long-standing expertise.
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Drinking water catchments and resources Protection of drinking water resources by assessing potential hazards in water catchment areas, catalogues of measures, monitoring concepts, databases
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Environmental biotechnology and contaminated sites Environmental biotechnology to improve water quality. Degradation processes for water purification. Concepts and studies for pollutant contamination.
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Digitalisation Solving complex questions and problems of water supply companies in digitalisation through technical support or practical research projects.
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Practical projects Research and practice, water supply, scientific and technical expertise, technology concepts, resource protection, distribution network, digitalisation
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Research
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Resource protection Sustainable resource protection as an important factor for safe drinking water supply. Management of hazards and risks in water catchment areas.
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Environmental biotechnology Technical and biological methods for the elimination of microorganisms, microbiological degradation processes, risk assessment of microbial contamination
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Microorganisms Application and development of reliable detection methods for microorganisms in drinking water, evaluation of disinfection and treatment measures.
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Micropollutants Reliable and sensitive determination of trace substances and microplastics, investigation of the behaviour in the water cycle, qualified risk assessment
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Waste water and water cycle Development of integrated water supply and waste water disposal concepts, Utilisation of biodegradation processes to eliminate persistent substances
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New technologies and products Technologies and products for the treatment, disinfection and post-treatment of drinking water, testing for performance, safety and robustness
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Asset management and infrastructure Development of asset management strategies to ensure a stable supply of drinking water, assessment of the condition of pipeline networks.
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Safety and security, digitalisation and management Digitalisation in the areas of data collection, data management, data-driven applications and IT security. Artificial intelligence and blockchain.
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- Projects
- About TZW
- Information
Sustainable concepts
We research, advise and test. Those are the basis for future-proof solutions. As a qualified partner, we support our customers from the water supply sector, industry, authorities and universities and jointly develop concepts for the future. Learn more about our involvement in national and international networks of water experts.
Our profile
Mission and tasks
At TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre) water is the focus of all activities. The sustainable protection of water resources and innovative solutions for drinking water supply and waste water disposal are core elements. In cooperation with leading international water research institutes, TZW considers itself as a driving force in the development of sustainable concepts for the future of water supply. Our expertise is based on the results of almost 50 research projects annually that are funded by national or international funding bodies and agencies.
The mission statement reflects the essential values of our activities.
Our more than 1,000 customers come from the water supply sector, industry, authorities and universities. We develop new and sustainable concepts for them in close interaction between science and practice. Our interdisciplinary teams are experts working in the areas of water chemistry, water microbiology, water supply, water distribution and the test centre. Approximately 190 highly qualified staff members from the specialist fields of chemistry, biology, physics, environmental science, process engineering and materials science work in application-oriented research and scientific consultation.
Facts and figures
The annual budget of approx. 18 million euro comes primarily from research funding, practical research contracts and technical and scientific studies. TZW is part of DVGW (German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water) and a non-profit and independent institution. TZW emerged in 1991 from the DVGW Research Centre at the Engler-Bunte Institute of today's KIT of the University of Karlsruhe. The founding fathers were Prof. Sontheimer, Prof. Ulmer and Prof. Kühn, who headed the TZW for many years.
We have compiled the most important steps in the past 30 years in the chronicle “TZW’s history”.
All essential information about TZW, figures and data, fields of activity and projects can be found compactly in the current TZW Annual report. You can read, dowlnoad or order the Annual report and other publications online here.
We are accredited according to the international standard DIN EN ISO 17025 for our extensive analysis and testing work.
TZW is part of the DVGW group
TZW is an institution of the DVGW – German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water. The DVGW sets the benchmark for the future of Germany’s gas and water sector – as a recognised legislator, innovative designer, sponsor and service provider. It undertakes the following core tasks:
- Technical guidelines and standardisation
- Research and development
- Testing and certification
- Professional training and qualification
The journal “energie wasser praxis” reports on all topics from the gas and water industry.
DVGW Cert GmbH meets all the necessary certification procedures in the gas and water sector. The Test centre at TZW works closely with DVGW Cert GmbH on all product certification matters.