Taihu Lake surrounding is one of the most developed regions in China. Thus the serious contaminant input is causing the problems in the lake ecosystem. The aim of the current project is to demonstrate and adopt German water technologies and management concepts in the area.
Taihu Lake represents a drastic example of water pollution with organic pollutants, nutrients (nitrogen, phosphate) and heavy metals. The problems at Taihu Lake are typical for many shallow lakes in China. Thus, approved solutions of the Taihu region can be considered as best-practice-example for whole China. The lake is located in the Yangtze River Delta, one of the most developed regions in China and plays a significant role in flood control, tourism, shipping, aquaculture, and the drinking water source for the vicinity of cities, such as Shanghai, Suzhou, Wuxi, Huzhou. However, after decades of intensive development in this densely populated area, Taihu Lake receives a large number of wastes from agricultural non-point sources, municipal sewage, industrial wastewater and aquaculture. The serious contaminant input has caused serious environmental problems in the lake ecosystem, such as algae bloom, eutrophication, organics and heavy metals contamination.
The project intends to demonstrate and adopt German water technologies and management concepts to Sino-German collaboration. After pilot studies in Taihu Lake, the extended knowledge can be transferred to other sites in China. The following aspects are covered in the project target: development of innovative monitoring methods, improvement of water quality, fostering of water treatment efficiency, amelioration of tap water quality and quantity.
Sampling campaigns and field investigations were conducted to understand the temporal and spatial variations of the contaminants in Taihu Lake and waterworks. Water and sediment samples were taken to analyze the distribution and transportation of organic contaminants, heavy metals, nutrients and algal. Frequent meetings were organized to communicate and exchange ideas among German and Chinese partners. The monitoring results present the current contamination situations in the lake, which can give important references to manage the environment protection and governance strategies. The water quality will be improved, and the drinking water treatment and distribution technology will benefit more areas in China.
Project Acronym: SIGN
Country, Continent: China, Asia
Funding agency: BMBF
Years of activity: 2015 – …
Responsible persons: Prof. Dr Andreas Tiehm, Dr. Tim Aus Der Beek, Aili Li
Cooperation partners:
- TZW Technologiezentrum Wasser, Prof. Dr. Andreas Tiehm, http://www.tzw.de/en/
- IWW Water Centre, Dr. Tim aus der Beek, https://iww-online.de/en/iww_profile/
