The use of activated sludge models (ASMs) is a common way in the field of wastewater engineering in terms of plant design, development, optimization, and testing of stand-alone treatment plants. The focus of this study was the development of a joint control system (JCS) for a municipal wastewater treatment plant (mWWTP) and an upstream industrial wastewater treatment plant (iWWTP) to create synergies for saving aeration energy. Therefore, an ASM3 + BioP model of the mWWTP was developed to test different scenarios and to find the best set-points for the novel JCS. A predictive equation for the total nitrogen load (TN) coming from the iWWTP was developed based on real-time data. The predictive TN equation together with an optimized aeration strategy, based on the modelling results, was implemented as JCS. First results of the implementation of the JCS in the real environment showed an increase in energy efficiency for TN removal.

Understanding the residential end uses of water is helpful for the sustainable management of water resources and the implementation of water conservation strategies. In this study, over one hundred studies were systematically reviewed to provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art research on end-use water consumption. Each study was reviewed, clustered, and subjected to a multilevel analysis aimed at quantitatively comparing the characteristics of the end uses of water available in the literature. The findings of this work support water utilities, researchers, policy makers, and consumers in identifying the key aspects of water end uses and exploring their main features across different geographical, socioeconomic, and cultural regions of the world.

Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Berlin gGmbH (KWB) would like to voluntarily draw up a greenhouse gas balance sheet for the year 2023. The aim is to develop a better awareness of the main emitters and options for action to reduce them. The higher travel volume before covid 19 pandemic and the influences of the change of location within Berlin are to be highlighted. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol is used for balancing. Depending on the data situation for the applicable category, calculation methods such as fuel-based calculation for Scope 1 (direct emissions from the vehicle fleet), supplier- and average-based methods for Scope 2 (indirect emissions from purchased electricity and heat) and spend-, average- and distance-based methods for Scope 3 (upstream and downstream emissions) are used. The data comes from the administration, supplier information, Exiobase at Climatiq, Ecoinvent, the Umweltbundesamt, an employee survey via Jotform and individual inquiries. The operating cost statements were used from the previous year. The KWB's overall balance in the 2023 financial year resulted in 148 t of CO2e emissions at the old location. Scope 1 is the third smallest emitter of all sub-categories with approx. 4.5 t CO2e emissions. Scope 2 is in the middle of the emitters with approx. 10.6 t CO2e emissions. Scope 3 is the largest emitter with 133 tons of CO2e emissions and thus accounts for almost 90% of the total balance. Unexpectedly, employee commuting is not a major emitter, as the use of bicycles and local public transport is very high. Business travel, on the other hand, is the second largest emitter, contributing a significant 19 % to the balance sheet, with 23 flights representing the main emitter of business travel with 15.2 t CO2e emissions, 74,500 km traveled and over 50 % of CO2e emissions. In comparison, 114 train journey segments account for only 15% of CO2e emissions from business trips. At almost twice the distance traveled, approximately 134,500 km, the amount of CO2e is only 4.2 tons. Trip segments refer to individual parts of a trip that were recorded separately due to different means of transportation or travel times. The pilot systems and samplers are the KWB's largest source of CO2e emissions, accounting for approx. 35% and approx. 50 tons of CO2e emissions in the overall balance due to their high electricity consumption. IT is the third largest emitter in the overall balance with 15.2 tons of CO2e emissions and 10%. A reduction in air travel in favor of train travel would have reduced the overall GHG balance by 5 % in 2023. As a result of the change of location, the energy consumed for heating and cooling at the site is only a third of the previous requirement despite 50% more office space. At almost 3 tons of CO2e emissions, the GHG emissions at both sites are almost the same, although the supplier-specific CO2e emission factor is three times higher at the new site. With 3.8 tons of CO2e emissions per employee, KWB emits slightly more than half the emissions of other companies in the service sector.

Der vorliegende Forschungsbericht befasst sich mit den derzeitigen Unsicherheiten bezüglich der technischen Nutzungsdauer und des Alterungsverhaltens der gängigsten Renovierungsmethode in Kanalnetzen, dem Cured in Place Pipe (CIPP) Schlauchlining. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Entwicklung einer fundierten Datengrundlage für eine Schlauchliner-Überlebenskurve für die Anwendung in Alterungsmodellen. Das methodische Vorgehen umfasst (i) eine Literaturrecherche, (ii) Interviews mit Kanalsanierungs-Expert:innen sowie (iii) eine Auswertung von Daten der Berliner Wasserbetriebe zur Erstellung einer aktualisierten und geeigneten Datengrundlage für die Überlebenskurven. Dabei zeigen sich in der Auswertung der Literatur und den Interviews mehrheitliche Schätzungen der Nutzungsdauer von Schlauchlinern von über 50 Jahren. Die Untersuchung zeigt jedoch auch, dass diese von vielen Faktoren beeinflusst ist und ein Mangel an belastbaren Daten besteht. Weitere Untersuchungen an langjährig betrieben Schlauchlinern sind daher zwingend notwendig. Der Einbau, insbesondere der Aushärtungsprozess hat sich als Haupteinfluss für Defekte und Mängel an Schlauchlinern gezeigt. Eine Standardisierung der Schadenserfassung und Zustandsbeurteilung von schlauchlinerspezifischen Schäden sowie die Etablierung zerstörungsfreier Inspektionsmethoden sind erforderlich, um das Alterungsverhalten zukünftig besser zu verstehen. Empfehlungen umfassen die Verbesserung der Datenerhebung während des Betriebs, Ein- und Ausbaus von Schlauchlinern, die Erweiterung der Qualitätssicherung beim Einbau, sowie die Untersuchung von Schadenseinflüssen auf die Nutzungsdauer und den Erfahrungsaustausch zwischen Betreibern.

Currently, there is uncertainty about emissions of pharmaceuticals into larger closed ecosystems that are at risk such as the Baltic Sea. There is an increasing need for selecting the right strategies on advanced wastewater treatment. This study analysed 35 pharmaceuticals and iodinated X-ray contrast media in effluents from 82 Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) across Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden. Measured concentrations from Finland and Denmark were compared to predicted effluent concentrations using different levels of refinement. The concentrations predicted by the Total Residue Approach, as proposed by the European Medicines Agency, correlated with R(2) of 0.18 and 0.031 to measured ones for Denmark and Finland, respectively and the predicted data were significantly higher than the measured ones. These correlations improved substantially to R(2) of 0.72 and 0.74 after adjusting for estimated human excretion rates and further to R(2) = 0.91 and 0.78 with the inclusion of removal rates in WWTPs. Temporal analysis of compound variations in a closely monitored WWTP showed minimal fluctuation over days and weeks for most compounds but revealed weekly shifts in iodinated X-ray contrast media due to emergency-only operations at X-ray clinics during weekends and an abrupt seasonal change for gabapentin. The findings underscore the limitations of current predictive models and findings (...) demonstrate how these methodologies can be refined by incorporating human pharmaceutical excretion/metabolization as well as removal in wastewater treatment plants to more accurately forecast pharmaceutical levels in aquatic environments.

Addressing Europe's current challenges of aging sewer networks, the presented research focuses on the uncertainties in service life and aging behavior of the most used renovation technique, Cured in Place Pipe (CIPP) lining. Examining its aging behavior, common defects and deficiencies were analyzed through literature review and expert interviews. The findings influenced the proposition of a calibration setting for a deterioration model using survival curves. Identified defects stress the need for precise installation and curing processes. The study recommends a thorough review of the initially specified 50-year service life, acknowledging uncertainties during the installation process.

Extending the AI-driven Software SEMAplus with a risk prioritization module.

Selection and analysis of risk criteria as preliminary part of decision making.

Analysis of multicriteria decision approaches and choice of ELECTRE TRI.