Strategies and options for action – the challenge of ... · Strategies and options for action –...

Federal Department of the Environment,Transport, Energy and Communications DETEC

Federal Office for the Environment FOEN

Strategies and options for action – the challenge of

Water Division

action – the challenge of micropollutants

PILLS-Project, final conference

September19th 2012

Prioritisation of sources and pathways

traffic

Atmospheric deposition

Urban water

Land fillsOther activities (shipping, leisure, ..)

2PILLS final conference

Michael Schaerer, 19.9. 2012

Agriculture

Waste water treatment plants

Urban water management (storm flow)

Agriculture

Background – municipal waste waterConclusions from selected research projects:1. Project „Fishnet“ – Network Declining Fish Yields Switzerland

2. National research programme 50 „endocrine disruptors“

• Waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) are main (point)) sources for pollution for several surface waters

• Water quality problems regarding micropollutants related to insufficient dilution of (biologically treated) waste water

• Installation of additional treatment steps needs to be



• Installation of additional treatment steps needs to be evaluated

Projekt „Strategy Micropoll“ des BAFU (2006 – 2011)

• Focus on micropollutants originating from waste water

• Overview on micropollutants in Swiss surface waters

• Proposition of a method to evaluate water quality

• Evaluation of measures (additional treatment steps)

From science to policy………..An the resulting (as well social and political) challenges

1. Estimation of impact based on concise criteria2. Establishment of methods to assess water quality3. Evaluation of measures• Costs• Effectiveness• acceptance



• acceptance• Financement (polluter-pays principle)• Proportionality4. Implementation strategy5. Political discussion and decision

Project “micropoll strategy” of the FOEN

Diclofenac

Grö

sse

Ein

zu

gsg

eb

iet [E

]

20

50

100

200

100'000

200'000

500'000

1'000'000

Pre

dic

ted

load

s [g

/d]

Cat

chm

ent

size

[#

inh

ab.]

Modeling the exposure of micropollutants in Swiss rivers: verification

Model versus Measurements

Example:

diclofenac



In Fliessgewässerproben gemessen [g/d]

Grö

sse

Ein

zu

gsg

eb

iet [E

]

1 2 5 10 20 50 100 200

1

2

5

10

20

10'000

20'000

50'000

100'000

Measured loads in rivers [g/d]

Pre

dic

ted

load

s [g

/d]

Cat

chm

ent

size

[#

inh

ab.]

Ort et al. (2009) Environ. Sci. Technol.

Analysis of situation in Switzerland -Regional problems with micropollutantsAdverse effects on ecosystems

Exceedance of water quality criteria

for 6 modelled micropollutants# substances exceeding criteria

Anteil gereinigtes Abwasser in grossen und mittleren FliessgewässernPercentageof treated waste water in Swiss streams

Substance loads in drinking water resources

precaution



Treated waste water =

Complex mixture of substances


Diclofenac, estrogenes, some antibiotics

and other compounds……

Regional problems with micropollutants

- Waste water load in (surface) watersrelated to high population density

Exceedance of water quality criteria

for 6 modelled micropollutants# substances exceeding criteria




Population density

Development of an assessment concept

see http://www.bafu.admin.ch



see Götz et al. 2010, Kase et al. (2011)

Evaluation of measures

measure effectiveness

Primary measuresInformation Depends on substance (group),

only applicable for limitedamount of substances

Regulation of production andapplication of substances

applicable for limited amount ofsubstances

Ban of substances applicable for limited amount ofsubstances




substances

Source separationMeasures at primary pollutionsources (production plants)

applicable for limited amount ofsubstances

Complete change of urban wastewater management (urineseparation etc)

Very high costs, only applicableon the long term (> 50 y)

End of pipe measuresComplementary treatment (z. B.ozone, active carbon)

Reduction of a broad range ofpollutants

Hospital waste water

• A very limited range of substancefound in surface water originatefrom hospital waste water.

• Costs of waste water treatment in hospital are within range of costsfor treatment in WWTP.




for treatment in WWTP.

• Interesting measure: „Road bag“ for iodinated x-ray contrast media

Careful cost benefit analysis of

measures needed.

Possible measuresPrimary measures have highest priority

(Source control):

- Registration and regulation of products

- Green chemistry

- Behavior of consumers

- Waste disposal



But:

- “long-term options”

- Thousands of substances can hardly be regulated

- Replacement of some problematic substances is

very difficult (pharmaceuticals, …) or impossible

(natural estrogens).

Possible measures (III)public health, hygiene, convenience products, daily life needs, aestethic aspects

Continuous input of (thousands of) substances (incl. transformation products) with specific properties into waste water and surface water waters

Drivers:

Pressure:



High waste water load in surface water → High substance load in surface water

technical measures to reduce impact (needs political decision)

State:

Impact: effects on surface water ecosystems (estrogens, biocides…), persistent substances in drinking water

Response:

Evaluation of technical measures

Traitements Procédés

1. Energy consumption, costs

2. Efficiency of treatment to reduce micropollutants /

effects and influence on effluent quality

3. Technology and operation



Élimination ultérieure

d’éléments-traces

Traitementsphysico-chimiques• charbon actif en poudre

• charbon actif en granulés

Traitement par oxydation chimique• chloration

• UV

• H2O2 / UV

• réactif de Fenton

• ozonation

Procédésphysiques• floculation• précipitation• échange d’ions

• filtration sur membrane• filtration sur sable

Procédés(physico-) biologiques• filtration sur sable

• lit fixe / lit fluidisé

• passage dans le sol

• étang

Full scale installations of technical measures on existing WWTPs

FinishedOzonation: • ARA Regensdorf 25‘000 PE (>18 Mte., 2007 -

2008)• ARA Lausanne 25‘000 PE (>12 Mte., 2009 -

2010)



2010)

Powder active carbon (PAC)• ARA Opfikon, 30‘000 PE (2 Mte., 2010)• ARA Lausanne, 3‘000 PE (> 9 Mte., 2010)

Several ongoing projects

Evaluation of technical measures on existing WWTPs: PAC and Ozonation

Atrazin

Mecoprop

Atenolol

Benzotriazol

Bezafibrat

Methylbenzotriazol

Metoprolol

Sulfamethoxazol

Clarithromycin

Carbamazepin

Sulfapyridin

Trimethoprim

Diclofenac

1157

791 ± 24

617 ± 47

396 ± 63

Ozonkonentraton

in g Ozon/kg DOC

Ozone concentration

in gO3/kgDOC�Over 80 % elimination of broad

range in average� Measured for broad range of organic trace

compounds

� Some compounds eliminated below detection limit

�Reduction of ecotoxic effects



0 20 40 60 80 100

Iopromid

Elimination (%)Elimination [%]

�Reduction of ecotoxic effects� Strongly reduced estrogenic activity

� Better development of fish embryo

� Up to 26 bioassays in large scale experiments

�Economically feasible and reasonable in specific cases

�Manageable for WWTP-personnel

Biotest Stoffgruppen und Wirkunksklassen (gemessener Endpunkt)

Biologie Ozonung PAK-UF

Green algae Herbicides var. ↓ ↓

↓ ↓ ↓

Evaluation of treatment effects using biotests

See Kienle et al. (2011) on www.oekotoxzentrum.ch



↓ CI >1 decreasing toxicity, ~ CI~1 unchanged ↑↑↑↑ CI <1 increasing toxicity

var. = variable effects; nm = not measured

General toxicity ↓ ↓ ↓

YES Assay Estrogenes ↓ ↓ ↓

ER CALUX Estrogenes ↓ ↓ ↓

AR CALUX Androgenes ↓ ↓ ↓

FELST Vitellogenin nm ↓ ↓

FELST Mortality nm ↓ ↓

Effect on watercourse

�Spear Index� Higher diversity in watercourse during ozonation

�Pathogens� Elimination of pathogens in ozonation or PAC/MBR

�Conclusions of panel of international experts



experts� broad range of micropollutants and their effects were eliminated by

more than 80%

� no evidence for a toxicity increase due to a constant formation of stable toxic ozonation by-products . Ozonation should be followed by a final filtration step with biological activity in order to reduce the risk of potentially toxic

� Overall, the quality of treated effluent was significantly improved, leading to improved surface water quality.

National strategy of Switzerland regarding micropollutants in waste water

Three goals

Goal-oriented upgrading of WWTPs



QN*

Anteil gereinigtes Abwasser in grossen und mittleren Fliessgewässern

3. Drinking water resources

1. Upstream responsability (D, F, NL)

2. Ecosystems

Three goals

Adaptation of water protection ordinanceResults of consultation 2009-2010

1. Problem and need for measures supported

Over 80 % of the statements support a goal-oriented extension of municipal WWTPs

2. Need for adaptation:



• Financement: Need for a nationwide funding based on the polluter-pays-prinicple

• More experience with technical processes necessary

• National coordination of planning

Several interventions in federal assemblyfor example discussion in the Committees for the Environment, Spatial Planning and Energy CESPE of the council of states

parliamentary interventionof the Committee for the Environment, Spatial Planning

and Energy (CESPE ) of the council of states

• Development of financing solution in agreement with

the “polluter pays principle”

• Establishment of legal requirements for financing and



• Establishment of legal requirements for financing and

implementation of measures

• Accepted by federal council and council of states

• Accepted by national council on March 15 2011

Ongoing work

• financing solution (adaptation of water protection act)

• Earmarked financing solution based on polluter pays principle (limited in time)

• Planning of measures• Planning on a watershed level



• Planning on a watershed level

• proportionality

• Experience with technical processes (waste water treatment)• Working group within Swiss water assiciation (VSA)

• National and international build up of expertise

• International collaboration (NL, D-BW, D-NRW, ……..)

Ongoing work• Collaboration with

stakeholders

• Adoption of Swiss Water protection act in progress• Spring 2013 – submission to

council of states

• Public consultation ended by

Financing solution

Working group• Federal Office for the Environment (lead)• Cantons

Strategic board• Federal Office for the Environment (lead)• Cantons

• Operators/Owners of WWTPs• Swiss water association• Research

• Industry



• Public consultation ended by end of august 2012

• Further development based on• Statements during public

consultation of water protection ordinance

• Paramentary intervention of CESPE

• Operators/Owners of WWTPs

Planning of measures

Working group• Federal Office for the Environment (lead)• Cantons

• Operators/Owners of WWTPs

Processes for waste water treatment

Working group within Swiss Water Association

Energy consumption and costsElectricity

Per WWTP 10 – 30 % increase

National increase: 0.1 % of national electricity consumption

<0.1 % of nationale consumption on

primary energy

Costs



Costs

Per WWTP 5 – 35 % increase

National increase: 12 % of annual costs of waste water

treatment

6 % of annual costs of waste water disposal

Report available from May 2012

See www.bafu.admin.ch/micropoll (or www.micropoll.ch

Implementation concept - impact

• Selection of WWTPs based on three criteria

→ approx.100 WWTP affected (out of over 750

WWTP)

→ principle of proportionality – limitation of measures

to WWTP > 10‘000 pe



• Investment costs: 1.2 bn CHF (= 1 bn €)

• Increase of total annual costs: 130 m CHF per year

= 6 % of actual costs of waste water disposal in Switzerland

• Cost increase :

• Smaller WWTP (10‘000 pe): 7%-25%

• Large WWTP (100‘000 pe): 2% - 10%

Implementation concept - benefit

• 1400 km of surface watercourses with over 10 % of

(treated) waste water

• Complete treatment of waste water for over 40 %

• Partial treatment of waste water for 20 %

• ..especially in agglomerations (recreational zones)

• „side effect“: reduction of pathogens



• Treatment of approx. 60% of Swiss municipal waste

water capacity – reduction of loads

Working group within Swiss Water Association

• National an international exchange of information regarding complementary treatments

• Projects• See www.micropoll.ch





micropollutants – additional measures:treatment of waste water from roads, urban waste water management (storm flow), agriculture, regulation of chemicals,….



Thank you for your attention!



[email protected]/micropoll

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