The VSA platform for water quality deals with the assessment of water quality and serves as a hub for the development of knowledge in this area as well as the exchange between research, practice and the authorities. The focus is on problematic chemicals in bodies of water and the influence of climate change on the assessment of biological water quality. The mandate of the platform, which was founded in 2015, has just been extended for a further four years in mid – 2023. Irene Wittmer, who helped set up the platform and managed it from the outset, has now left at the end of 2023. Anne Dietzel and Silwan Daouk took over as co-managers at the beginning of the year.

Anne is a systems scientist and came to Eawag in 2007 for her doctoral thesis in the Siam department. After a postdoc in the Environmental Chemistry department and interim positions at the FOEN and on the Eawag staff, she has worked for the platform since 2019.

Silwan is a geoscientist and has specialised in environmental chemistry. After completing his doctorate at the University of Lausanne, he worked at the University Hospital of Geneva, where he analysed pharmaceutical residues in wastewater. He has been working for the platform since 2016.

“Irene is leaving big shoes to fill, and two of us can fill them better,” says Anne. Another advantage of the co-management is that the two are very well connected, Anne especially in German-speaking Switzerland and Silwan particularly in French-speaking Switzerland. Over the course of the year, the platform team is to be increased to six people again.