DBU: Viruses in bank filtration - In-situ monitoring and risk management with special consideration of the influence of extreme weather events (VIRUMEX)

Bank filtration is a common method for sustainable drinking water production especially in regions with limited groundwater. Contaminants in surface waters, as e.g., pathogens like viruses and bacteria, can pose a risk for the drinking water production through bank filtration. Especially extreme weather events (heavy rain and floods) can lead to increased concentrations of pathogens in surface waters.

In the current by law required measurement program for the quality assessment of drinking water only a few bacteria species and indicators are included.

The new EU drinking water guideline added somatic coliphages as viral indicator, but those are not human pathogenic viruses, which are more difficult to measure. However, research has shown that the transport behavior in groundwater for bacteria, coliphages and human pathogenic viruses can differ significantly (concentration differences over multiple orders of magnitude possible).

VIRUMEX aims to help waterworks facilities, which use bank filtration, to perform a scientifically sound and model-based risk analysis for human pathogenic viruses, as demanded by the Water-Safety-Plan concept of the WHO. We try to:

• develop innovative measurement technology for human pathogenic viruses in groundwater usable without significant laboratory effort
• compile recommendations including an adaptive monitoring concept for viruses in a risk-based management approach especially considering the effect of extreme weather events