Monitoring system

Wastewater to tell us more about residents in future

Wastewater can tell a lot of stories - if you take a close look at it.(Bild: Stadt Dornbirn)

What about the consumption of medicines in Vorarlberg? And to what extent have perpetual chemicals already accumulated?

In cooperation with the Institute for Environment and Food Safety (Umweltinstitut), the state of Vorarlberg is further expanding its wastewater analyses. This was announced by state councillor Martina Rüscher (ÖVP) together with state governor Barbara Schöbi-Fink (ÖVP) on Tuesday. Among other things, the monitoring system developed for Covid viruses is to be applied to other pathogens such as noroviruses and influenza viruses. Measurements of antibiotics and addictive substances in wastewater are also to be carried out as soon as possible.

Wastewater can provide information about medicines and drugs consumed as well as the presence of pathogens in the catchment area of a wastewater treatment plant. Vorarlberg intends to make even greater use of these possibilities in future, for example to combat increasing antibiotic resistance.

Focus on perennial chemicals
Intensified PFAS monitoring is another way of responding to current developments. PFAS (perfluorinated alkylated compounds), also known as perpetual chemicals, are found in industry and commerce, but also in consumer goods such as cosmetics, clothing and pizza boxes.

They do not biodegrade, but accumulate in the environment and have a negative impact on health. The substances can also find their way into groundwater or plants. Christoph Scheffknecht, head of the institute, explained that wastewater analyses carried out by the Environmental Institute have already made Vorarlberg companies aware of their own unconscious use of these substances. In addition to wastewater analysis, the institute's tasks also include areas such as food and drinking water safety, bathing water testing and air and soil monitoring.