This paper provides an overview of promising technologies for phosphorus recovery from waste streams in the context of real nutrient recycling and discusses aspects regarding their wide-spread application but also limitations. Not only the technologies themselves, also the recovered materials and their valorization options are addressed. Results of the EU FP7 project P-REX titled “Sustainable sewage sludge management fostering phosphorus recovery and energy efficiency” will be discussed. Since innovation always needs an enabling environment for market penetration, barriers set by the existing legal framework and measures to resolve them will be concluded. To finally achieve a closed loop, the gap between phosphorus recovery and actual recycling has to be bridged. Finally, Goethe’s words are true more than ever: “Knowing is not enough, we must apply! Willing is not enough, we must do!”

This project report summarizes work conducted in work package 12 of the DEMEAU project. Along with Deliverable 12.1 it covers all tasks from work package 12 as formulated in the Description of Work (DoW). This report contains information about (pre-) feasibility studies, design recommendations and pre-treatment options for different types of MAR. The wide range of hydrogeological features encountered in reality makes a site-by-site approach indispensable. As part of this effort the hydrogeological pre-requisites for surface spreading and deep well injection techniques are described in detail. In chapter 2, ten essential hydrogeological parameters are defined by objective criterias. The following chapter outlines and describes how to obtain these essential hydrogeological parameters. This feasibility assessment starts with the screening of the potential site based on a structured procedure. Site investigations start with relatively cheap but numerous field and laboratory testing and continue to more cost-demanding but less numerous tests. With this procedure it is possible to carry out technical site feasibility in a costand time efficient way. The fourth chapter investigates the International Hydrogeological Map of Europe (IHME 1500) as a planning basis for pre-feasibility of new MAR sites. It was found that the IHME 1500 is useful for a pre-assessment, but detailed regional and local scale maps (and investigations) are additionally necessary to effectively assess hydrogeological features. The final chapter deals with pre-treatment options for MAR. Pre-treatment is necessary to remove critical contaminants from the source water to i) enhance system performance and removal efficiencies, ii) ensure the long-term functioning of the system, iii) meet regulatory demands and iv) ensure beneficial uses of the aquifer beyond the attenuation zone. Available pre-treatment methods in relation to source water type and intended end-use are described. Based on chemical concentrations in source water and intended end-use the most appropriate pre-treatment method can be assessed from a table. Altogether this report thus provides guidance in designing new MAR systems based on a sound hydrogeological site characterisation and pre-feasibility assessment based on available information and parameters obtained from structured investigations.

Within Work Area 5 of the DEMEAU project, selected innovative technologies and tools for emerging contaminants removal and monitoring are assessed in their environmental and economic benefits and impacts by using life-cycle based tools such as environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and economic Life Cycle Costing (LCC). Six case studies were assessed to quantify their environmental and economic profiles and formulate unique selling propositions to promote market uptake and implementation. These case studies include managed aquifer recharge for groundwater replenishment or for drinking water production in combination with advanced oxidation process, hybrid ceramic membrane filtration with powdered activated carbon for tertiary wastewater treatment, automatic neural net control systems to optimize membrane operation, ozonation of wastewater treatment plant effluent, and bioassays as screening tool for water quality monitoring. This report summarizes the study layout, input data, and results of LCA and LCC for all case studies and indicates unique selling propositions based on the outcomes of the assessment.

This project report summarizes work conducted in work package 11. Along with the deliverable 11.1 and milestone report 11 it covers the tasks from work package 11 as formulated in the Description of Work (DoW). The content of the different sections is interrelated, but each section is organized as an independent part. Title of this report differs from DoW because recommendations for optimum design and operation will be handled in the deliverable 12.2. The sections in this report cover various topics and each section can be found as a stand-alone report in the DEMEAU tool box (http://demeaufp7.eu/toolbox/) for download. Detailed summaries can be found for each section separately.

The La Vall d’Uixó (Spain) pilot site has been selected by DEMEAU because it is a new Aquifer Storage Transfer and Recovery (ASTR) site consisting of two injection wells surrounded by farmer wells for irrigation in a water scarce area. Potential water source for this MAR site is the effluent of the local WWTP, which is a quite constant water source in terms of availability, but gives concerns in terms of water quality. The investigations carried out within DEMEAU supports the work previously done by the Water Recovery Project (2011 – 2014), coordinated by IGME (Instituto Geológico y Minero de España) and UJI (Universitat Jaume I). The Water Recovery Project consists of different implementation phases and aimed to establish an appropriate MAR scheme with reclaimed wastewater to counteract salinity ingress in the coastal aquifer. In the third phase of the project two injection wells have recharged 310,000 m3 with water from the Belcaire River. To foster the implementation of the fourth and final phase of the Water Recovery Project, DEMEAU focused on the evaluation of the effluent of the local WWTP as source water for the ASTR system. This has been done by three sampling campaigns to analyse bulk chemistry, emerging pollutants and bioassays in native groundwater (six agricultural wells), Belcaire River (the current source water of the MAR scheme) and WWTP effluent (potential future source water). Risk assessment based on Australian MAR guidelines have been applied to evaluate risks related to the usage of WWTP effluent as source water. The Australian guidelines have been applied in two steps: entry level assessment and maximal risk assessment. Entry level assessment concluded that La Vall d’Uixó is suitable for a MAR scheme using reclaimed water, while maximal risk assessment identified hazards associated to reclaimed water as source water. As La Vall d’Uixó is an agricultural area of citrus crops, the use of reclaimed water for the injection in the MAR system must be compatible with the use of recovered water for irrigation. The risk assessment done in this report considered this end use of water, as there are no drinking water wells in the area. High risks have been identified for inorganic chemicals (conductivity, chloride and bicarbonate) and nutrients (nitrate). Risks associated to inorganics can be minimized by mixing effluent and Belcaire River water 1:1. Bulk chemistry coincided mainly with the description carried out in Water Recovery project, identifying two main quality problems in native groundwater: (1) salinity ingress (2) high nitrate concentration due to the intensive agricultural practices in the area. Ion displacement pattern in groundwater samples clearly indicates on-going salinization and documents minor effects of the injected water on few wells only. Cl/Br ratios indicate additional sources of chloride apart from seawater. It seems plausible that the underlying Keuper formations (Triassic) contribute to salinity ingress and SO4 excess in groundwater to some extent. Chlorides and nitrate are regulated by the implementation in Spain of the EU Water Framework Directive for the Castellón aquifer. The threshold value for nitrate is 200 mg/L, while the threshold value for chloride is 650 mg/L. WWTP effluent has nitrate and chlorides below the threshold concentrations (60 mg/L and 140 mg/L respectively) and, therefore, the MAR with reclaimed water would suppose a reduction of groundwater pollution and a step towards a qualitative good status in the aquifer. In total 63 organic micro pollutants have been analysed in groundwater, surface water and WWTP effluent. WWTP effluent shows elevated concentrations in almost all groups of organic micro pollutants compared to river- or groundwater. Only pesticides are found in higher concentrations in groundwater compared to the effluent. The Belcaire River shows the lowest concentrations for all groups of micro pollutants. It was shown that the Vall d’Uixó aquifer is contaminated by various organic micro pollutants and does not reflect a near natural aquifer condition. The aquifer chemistry in terms of organic micro pollutants reflects the usage of (untreated) effluent for direct irrigation over years. Elevated concentration of artificial sweeteners, analgesics, stimulants, caffeine metabolites and cocaine metabolites were found in WWTP samples taken during weekends compared to workday samples. In contrast, iopromide has been quantified in higher concentrations in the effluent of WWTP in work days than in the weekend, as this contrast media is used in hospitals for diagnostic tests normally carried out from Monday to Friday. These patterns of the effluent of WWTP during the week of weekend could be determinant for the selection of the working days as most suitable days to store treated waste water. In order to link analysed chemical concentrations to the observed toxicity in the samples a procedure based on bioassay-specific relative potency (REP) factors was applied. REP factors are determined by the effect concentrations of the reference compound and of the test compound. Despite the lack of toxicological data for a number of the selected target compounds and the lower relevance of the selected compounds for (eco)toxicological risk assessment, this study greatly demonstrate the usefulness of combined analyses of environmental samples. Effect-based methods could complement conventional chemical analysis in water quality monitoring as pre-screening techniques by (1) identifying toxic “hotspots” for further investigation, (2) assessing the effect of the entire mixture of compounds present in waters and therefore and (3) reduce uncertainty in safety evaluation.

Im Fokus des Projektes "Mikrobielle Verockerung in technischen Systemen" standen neutrophile und acidophile Eisenbakterien, die in Leitungen, Brunnen und an und in Pumpen vorkommen und dort Ablagerungen unlöslicher Eisenverbindungen verursachen. In Brunnen, werden diese Ablagerungsprozesse, die den Zustrom behindern und damit die Brunnenleistung mindern, auch als Brunnenalterung bezeichnet. Nach derzeitigem Stand des Wissens weisen in Deutschland dabei rund 80% der gealterten Brunnen biochemisch induzierte Eisenablagerungen auf (Houben & Treskatis 2002). Die Wiederherstellung der Brunnenleistung im Rahmen von Regenerierungen und präventiven Instandhaltungsmaßnahmen ist ressourcen- und energieintensiv, so dass ein besseres Verständnis der Schlüsselparameter und Lebensbedingungen der Eisenbakterien hilft, den Brunnenbetrieb und die Instandhaltungsmaßnahmen zu optimieren und die Brunnenalterung zu reduzieren. Das Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Berlin (KWB) war einer von insgesamt 14 Verbundprojektpartnern in dem interdisziplinären Team aus Wissenschaftlern, Ingenieuren und Technikern. In Teilprojekt 5 standen Probenahmen von Berliner Betriebsbrunnen und das Datenmanagement des Gesamtprojektes im Mittelpunkt der Arbeiten. Inhaltlich knüpften die Felduntersuchungen an das von den Berliner Wasserbetrieben (BWB) initiierte und am KWB koordinierte Forschungsprojekt WELLMA (für 'well management') an. Wesentliche Aufgabe des KWB war der frühzeitige Transfer der bei den Forschungspartnern erarbeiteten Ergebnisse in die Betriebspraxis bei den Berliner Wasserbetrieben (Teilprojekt 6). Dazu wurden Brunnen und Unterwassermotorpumpen aus der Trinkwassergewinnung der BWB durch die Projektpartner der TU Berlin (Teilprojekte 1a und 1b) hinsichtlich des Vorhandenseins und der Zusammensetzung biochemisch induzierter Eisenablagerungen untersucht. Neben Belagsproben von Pumpen bei Instandhaltungsarbeiten wurden dabei auch tiefenorientierte, zielgerichtete Proben aus dem Innenrohr (Vollrohr und Filterrohr) von Brunnen sowie Ablagerungsproben aus Steig- und Rohwassersammelleitungen entnommen und mikrobiologisch und chemisch untersucht. Eigene Feldarbeiten des KWB umfassten daneben in-situ-Messungen des Redoxpotentials im nahen Umfeld eines Brunnens sowie in-situ-Messungen der Feststofffracht (Trübung) in Abhängigkeit betrieblicher Randbedingungen. Wesentliche Ziele waren die Identifizierung von Schlüsselparametern zum Verständnis der Prozesse der Eisenverockerung und -rücklösung und die Quantifizierung des sich daraus ergebenden Verbesserungspotentials im Betrieb und der Instandhaltung aus dem Bezug der Untersuchungen auf die wasserchemischen, baulichen und betrieblichen Eigenschaften der untersuchten Brunnen. Im Ergebnis wurden von März 2012 bis September 2013 Pumpen aus 26 von geplanten 30 Brunnen beprobt. Zu deren Auswertung wurden drei Cluster unterschieden: (i) Brunnen, bei denen die Pumpen stark eisenverockert waren (ii) Brunnen ohne sichtbare Eisenverockerung, aber mit Biofilmen und (iii) Brunnen mit sauberen Pumpen. Der Abgleich mit im Rahmen von Instandhaltungsarbeiten erfolgten Kamerabefahrungen bestätigte einen Zusammenhang zwischen der Stärke der Verockerung der Pumpe und dem Vorhandensein und der Stärke von Ablagerungen im Filterrohrbereich.Schlüsselparameter aus statistisch belastbaren Zusammenhängen zwischen den Eisenbakterien-Gemeinschaften, den chemisch-mineralogischen Ockereigenschaften und den wasserchemischen, baulichen und betrieblichen Parametern konnten jedoch nicht herausgearbeitet werden, da die Diversität der beteiligten Eisenbakterien höher als vermutet war und sich selbst direkt benachbarte Brunnen mit ähnlichen Eigenschaften hinsichtlich der Ocker stark unterschieden. Auch stellten die Probenahmen immer nur Momentaufnahmen der zeitlich hochvariablen Anströmbedingungen dar.

The Wilmersdorf Catchment, part of the Berlin combined sewer system, faces severe problems regarding combined sewer overflows (CSO) and flooding which might worsen due to climate change and ongoing urbanisation. Rather than investing in costly adaptations, the goal of this study is to improve the utilisation of the existing storage capacity of the network in order to reduce CSO and flooding. The potential for optimisation was investigated by means of performance criteria (CSO volume, overflow peak and duration, flood volume and duration, number of flooded nodes) defined to assess the severity of CSO and flood events. This study takes a double interest in including dynamic and static adaptive measures to examine on one hand the potential improvement of the real-time control (RTC) strategy, and on the other hand the possible adaptation of existing structures in the network. To investigate these measures, a 1D-hydrodynamic model of the sewer network planned for 2020 was provided within the modelling package InfoWorks CS. The indicators were used to characterise the performance of the status-quo network as well as each implemented measure under a range of design storms. Three successful measures – the increase of a throttle pipe diameter and the elevation of two different overflow crests were identified to be effective for CSO reduction. On the other hand, adaptations of the RTC strategy did not lead to an improvement of the CSO aspect. The results of the simulations involving individual measures revealed that an optimisation of the network by making minor adjustments is possible. Indeed, CSO volume is almost halved under a 3-month rainfall after one overflow crest was elevated of 80 cm. Furthermore, a combination of the three best measures could reduce CSO volume by almost 60% for the same rainfall intensity. However, even though no significant worsening of flooding occurs, the main limitation of this type of measures is their inability to cope with flooding issues. Additional research should be conducted to complete the preliminary results that constitute this thesis and to fully determine the potential of the catchment, especially regarding the flooding aspect. In particular, decentralised measures that increase the pervious fraction of the surface could supplement this study.