An institution of DVGW

Management of drinking water catchments and resources

The long-term quality assurance of drinking water is the principal objective of preventative resource protection. Establishing a risk management system for the drinking water catchment area is an important instrument in this context. We implement problem-specific monitoring programmes to track raw water resources and evaluate the results, focusing on hazards and risks in water catchment areas. The main emphasis is on the identification, elimination or reduction of water contamination, caused, for example, by agriculture, bioenergy generation, commercial enterprises or by construction and infrastructure projects in water protection areas. To assure the quality of our databasis for the early implementation of countermeasures, we maintain transregional databases on groundwater and raw water quality. Further tools include numerical groundwater modelling in which the flow conditions in two- and three-dimensional models of groundwater bodies are analysed and evaluated in conjunction with the measurement data.

What do we offer?

Water protection area management

Risk management according to EN 15975-2

In the update to the WHO guidelines for drinking water quality, WHO recommends implementing a Water Safety Plan (WSP). The Water Safety Plan is based on the HACCP concept, a process-oriented risk management system. The systematic procedure to set up such a system is described in EN 15975-2 “Security of Drinking Water Supply”. We support water supply companies to set up this type of risk management system. The project steps are taken in close consultation with the relevant supply companies and adapted in their scope and level of detail to the local requirements.

Water protection and agricultural land use

Nitrate is a common contaminant of groundwater resources. We record nitrate leaching by monitoring soils and groundwater, evaluate it using simulation models, and devise remediation concepts. These are often linked to energy generation from biomass and biogas. Our efforts are aimed at establishing a water-protective land management in drinking water catchment areas and thereby reduce the nitrate leaching or entry of pesticide residues (active substances and metabolites).

Groundwater monitoring and databases

Monitoring raw water resources is useful to sustainably ensure drinking water quality in the long term. To that end we conduct area and problem-specific monitoring programmes and optimise measurement networks. The data is evaluated in more detail using statistical methods, geographic information systems (GIS), interpolations or groundwater modelling methods.

Transregional databases maintained by TZW on groundwater and raw water quality provide a quality-assured and validated database. This can then be used to prepare recommendations for action and targeted measures in the event of lower-quality drinking water.

Further information on the Raw Water Database Water Supply Pesticides (RWDB) can be found on the project page. For water suppliers, there is direct access to the online portal here (access data required) and a brief guide to it.

If you are interested in the Groundwater Database Water Supply Baden-Württemberg (GWD-WV), you can access the website www.grundwasserdatenbank.de here.

Construction measures in drinking water protection areas

Construction and infrastructure measures generally disturb the subsoil, which reduces the thickness of the surface layer. Construction activities can cause turbidity, microbiological or other contamination of the groundwater, for example due to accidents with water-polluting substances. We evaluate the potential hazards caused by construction site equipment, the building measures and the subsequent operation of the building, and derive a list of relevant measures to preserve evidence, protect the groundwater and secure the water supply. In these matters we collaborate closely with the relevant water supply companies, the competent authorities and the planners.

Methods and equipment

Data analysis

  • Geograpical information systems
  • Data analysis, visualisation and statistical methods
  • Risk management according to EN 15975-2 for catchment areas and water abstraction
  • Numerical groundwater modeling
  • TZW simulation model INVAM for the calculation of nitrate leaching
  • Groundwater monitoring concepts
  • Operation of transregional databases with online portals

Field methods

  • Soil sampling  / Percussion core sampling
  • site inspection and hazard analysis
  • Mapping of agricultural uses by means of GPS
  • Infiltration measurements (double ring infiltrometer)
  • Groundwater sampling and monitoring
  • Contaminant transport in soil (field lysimeter)
  • Sampling of leachate by suction cups

Laboratory methods

  • Nitrate analysis, physical-chemical parameters (water)
  • Nitrate and ammonium-analysis (soil)
  • Contaminant transport in soil (laboratory lysimeter)
Publications

Kiefer, J.; Geiges, M.: Reduzierung der PSM-Belastung bei ausgewählten Rohwasserressourcen – Eine Initiative der DVGW-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg. Grundwasserdatenbank Wasserversorgung. Sonderbeiträge zum 24. Jahresbericht. c/o TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser, Abteilung Grundwasser und Boden (2016)

 

 Sturm, S.; Kiefer, J.: Grundwasserschutz und Infrastrukturentwicklungen - Flächenkonkurrenz in Wasserschutzgebieten. In: Veröffentlichungen aus dem DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser Karlsruhe (TZW) (75), 1-28 (2016)  

 

Zigelli, N.; Kiefer, J.; Sturm, S.: Überwachung von Wasserschutzgebieten in Baden-Württemberg. Handlungsorientierung für Wasserversorger. Hrsg.: DVGW-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg (2016)

 

Lorenz, J.; Kiefer, J.; Fischer, T.: Die Grundwasserdatenbank Wasserversorgung Baden-Württemberg – ein Beitrag zum Trinkwasser-Ressourcenschutz. In: Risiken in der Wasserversorgung. Stuttgarter Berichte zur Siedlungswasserwirtschaft., Bd. 235, 61-77 (2017)

    

Sturm, S.:  Sicherheit in der Trinkwasserversorgung – Water Safety Plans als Instrument zum Risikomanagement. In: Risiken in der Wasserversorgung. Stuttgarter Berichte zur Siedlungswasserwirtschaft., Bd. 235, 35-46 (2017)

     

Lange, F. T.; Sturm, S. et al: Minimierungsstrategie für den PSM-Metaboliten-Eintrag ins Grundwasser.
Veröffentlichungen aus dem Technologiezentrum Wasser 84, ISSN 1434-5765 (2018)

    

Brauer, F.; Sturm, S.; Kaupe, M.; Schiffmann, S.: Mehrwert des Risikomanagements für den Wasserversorger.
DVGW energie | wasser-praxis 12/2019, 53-55 (2019)

 

Brauer, F.; Sturm, S.; Fischer, T.; Gottwalt, J.; Hahne, L.: Web-Based Software Application for Risk Management of Drinking-Water Supplies. Water Safety Conference 2022. Narvik 22-24 June 2022. Conference Proceedings. pp. 124-125; Editors: International Water Association (IWA), World Health Organization (WHO), UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden (2022)

 

Brauer, F.; Sturm, S.; Kaupe, M.; Schiffman, S.: Risk Assessment for Groundwater Catchment Areas. Water Safety Conference 2022. Narvik 22-24 June 2022. Conference Proceedings. pp. 101-102; Editors: International Water Association (IWA), World Health Organization (WHO), UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden (2022)

 

Rickert, B.; Zügner, V.; Sturm, S.; Brauer, F.: Germany’s Way to WSP Through Policy Actions and Technical Standards. Water Safety Conference 2022. Narvik 22-24 June 2022. Conference Proceedings. pp. 66-68; Editors: International Water Association (IWA), World Health Organization (WHO), UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden (2022)

 

Sturm, S.; Brauer, F.; Hegewald, T.; Freier, K.: Risk Assessment and Implementing Risk Management for a Complex Drinking Water Reservoir-System in Saxony, Germany. Water Safety Conference 2022. Narvik 22-24 June 2022. Conference Proceedings. pp. 97-98; Editors: International Water Association (IWA), World Health Organization (WHO), UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden (2022)

 

Volumes from the TZW publication series can be purchased here.

Contact

Dipl.-Geoökol. Sebastian Sturm +49 721 9678-200 Send email
 
Dipl.-Hydrol. Matthias Geiges +49 721 9678-282 Send email
Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Ball +49 721 9678-202 Send email

Projects

Sampling of groundwater
Sampling of groundwater
Assessment of nitrate contamination in groundwater (ArNO)

The revision of nitrate comtaminated areas (so-called "Rote Gebiete") is currently the subject of debate. In some areas, farmers and water suppliers…

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Impact of climate change on groundwater availability in Germany (GW-Impact)

To investigate the increasing spatio-temporal variability of groundwater recharge in the future, both locally and regionally, and its specific effects…

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Dreisam near Freiburg
Consequences of heavy rainfall and dry periods (RiQO)

In order to counteract future negative impacts of extreme weather events on the water quality of stream waters, practical prevention and management…

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