Mitteilungen des Forschungsinstituts Wasser und Umwelt der Universität Siegen

Heft 5 | 2013

herunterladen (5,3 MB)

Towards sustainable water quality management

Influencing factors, case studies, exemplary tools, and strategies

The existence of water on Earth is vital to the existence of life on Earth. Clean water nourishes ecosystems, grows food, and powers industry at the same time. Freshwater systems are fed by precipitation from the atmosphere, replenishing natural water storages in the landscape such as soil and groundwater, lakes and rivers. This natural cycle is an important basis for balancing water availability and water demand in natural systems and guaranteeing clean water resources.

Like all other organisms, humans depend on water availability, as well. Many human activities are linked to water, directly. The increasing human population worldwide has significantly increased the pressure to water resources in general. Increasing pressure to river and groundwater catchments does not only intensify water abstraction but also degrades water quality through intense land use, industrial development and the extension of urbanized areas. Therefore, a sustainable catchment management approach is required, focusing on water quality and water quantity, ensuring availability of clean water. Such water management needs to include some kind of catchment management, as well, in order to manage the entire system which transforms "clean" rainfall into those water resources humans are used to use.

During two expert seminars in year 2012 the chair of "Water Resources Management" of the University Siegen has focused on both sides of the water story, on the water abstraction and sustainable water supply (seminar on "Wassergewinnung", Hof, Germany) on the one hand and on water pollution through diverse uses (seminar on "Water pollution by agriculture", Santa Maria, Brazil) on the other hand.

This fifth volume of the "Mitteilungen des Forschungsinstituts Wasser und Umwelt" contains contributions of international experts as well as Alumni/Alumnae who actively contributed to the seminars through presentations and discussion. It covers large parts of the above mentioned water related issues, ranging from general water management, monitoring and water supply issues to water quality management tools, soil protection measures and regulations, and to water treatment approaches.

We thank the authors for their contributions, all participants for the lively discussion, the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) for the financial support enabling the organization of both expert seminars and, last but not least, the local organizers who took care of all organisational questions during the seminar. We liked a lot to spend the seminars with you! Thanks a lot!

Helge Bormann

Impressum: