Info Day Magazine 2023: Aquatic research for sustainable development

“The Sustainable Development Goals are part of everything we do”
Sustainability has been a key focus at Eawag for a long time – and not only since the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals. Eawag researcher Christoph Lüthi, for one, has been working in this field for many years and helped to design this year’s Info Day.

“We’re on the right path, but the pace is still too slow”
The United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015, and Switzerland is also committed to the 17 declared goals. Daniel Dubas, Federal Council delegate for Agenda 2030, explains why we are a “developing country”, what challenges we must overcome, and what role research plays in this.

Keeping the emergency exit clear for aquatic organisms
Just like humans, the inhabitants of rivers and streams need an emergency exit when they are faced with impending danger. But structures that would normally provide shelter during floods or droughts are now almost non-existent in straightened, channelised and built-up watercourses. How these refugia can be retained and restored is the subject of research by river ecologist Christine Weber.

More green and blue in cities to enhance liveability
There are many challenges that face cities in the era of climate change and rising population density, including heatwaves, floods, water shortages, loss of biodiversity and increasing demand for energy. Eawag is researching how these problems could be mitigated using blue-green infrastructure.

Pollutants in groundwater: uncovering blind spots with machine learning
Eawag researchers Joel Podgorski and Michael Berg have developed a model that can be used to determine the risk of groundwater contamination – for example, with arsenic, fluoride or nitrate – on a worldwide basis despite extensive gaps in the measurement data..

An expert in the human factor
What is a psychologist doing working at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology? A portrait of Nadja Contzen, who knows about the role humans play in the success of new water technologies and why handwashing is not a matter of course.

Low-tech solutions for clean drinking water
In Nepal, the population enjoys relatively good access to a basic drinking water supply. However, the water quality is often insufficient. The water is rarely tested, because there is a lack of equipment. Researchers from Eawag therefore work to develop simple and affordable solutions that are suitable for local conditions and that people can maintain themselves.

Solving the pesticide problem in dialogue with agriculture
Pesticides put natural ecosystems and human health at risk. Through its research, Eawag is exposing the pesticide contamination in bodies of water and laying key foundations for more sustainable agricultural practices.