In the research project TrinkXtrem, water supply companies from different regions of Germany are cooperating with research institutions in order to adapt the management of the drinking water supply in Germany to extreme climatic events. The aim is to act appropriate during special hydrological situations based on scientifically proven and adapted tools. Risk management concepts as well as methodical and digital tools are being developed. Six model regions in Germany were identified for the proof of concept under full scale conditions.
Extreme hydrological events trigger increasing challenges to the public drinking water supply. The well-documented periods of drought in recent years are the most recent examples of significant quantitative and qualitative impairments in the raw water of the utilities supplying the population with drinking water. Water suppliers and research institutions are cooperating in the research project TrinkXtrem to adapt the management of the drinking water supply in Germany to extreme climatic events. This allows anticipatory reactions to special hydrological situations. The research work focuses on four subject areas. The first topic, water resources, focuses on quantitative and qualitative impacts of extreme events on the raw water resources. In the second subject area operation, issues relating to the operation of the raw water collection, treatment and distribution systems are considered. The third subject area, water requirements, deals with monitoring and prediction of water usage. In the fourth subject area, new concepts for price and risk management are being developed.
The result is forecasting tools for water quality and water demand. Risk management and prevention measures are adapted to extreme events. In addition, software based control tools for raw water and area management are being developed. Dynamic price model components are adapted for price management during extreme events.
The project consortium consists of ten partners and five associated partners. The water supply companies involved in the project supply around 10 percent of Germany's population with drinking water.
TrinkXtrem Videoseries
Video 1: Trinkwasser und Extremereignisse: Menge und Qualität ändern sich - aber wie? (in German, English subtitles available)
> Link to the video 1 on youtube
Video 2: Trinkwasser und Extremereignisse: Wasserressourcen – wie Wasserwerke ihre Bewirtschaftung optimieren (in German, English subtitles available)
> Link to the video 2 on youtube
