German Projects Advance Decentralized Water Recycling and Monitoring

The DECIRE‑WATER research programme, coordinated by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the Rhineland‑Palatinate Technical University Kaiserslautern‑Landau, has built modular, container‑based treatment units that combine planted soil filters with a pipe‑distribution system. Operating at six demonstration sites across Europe and South Africa, the systems reclaim water for reuse and recover nitrogen and phosphorus, offering a plug‑in solution for single buildings, neighbourhoods or whole city districts. “Our goal is to combine the advantages of nature‑based processes with technical solutions and tailor water treatment to different needs,” said Dr. Verena Höcke, head of water technology at the project’s KIT partner.

In Bavaria’s Cham district, the DeTriC model project, carried out with the OTH Regensburg, created a digital assessment tool and a colour‑coded rating system for about 600 privately owned drinking‑water supplies. The pilot, which surveyed roughly 100 wells and spring systems, found that one‑quarter showed hygiene or technical warnings, while around 70 % of catch‑ments remain privately owned, supporting sustainable protection. Following the trial, the district health office will integrate the tools into its routine monitoring of private water installations.