VIDEO: Rainwater can save drinking water for Nový Bydžov

A research team from CXI TUL monitors rainwater in Nový Bydžov. The aim is its further use and sustainable management for the city's infrastructure.

Experts from the Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovations at the Technical University of Liberec have joined the international MAURICE project, which focuses on the effective management of urban water resources in Central Europe in the context of climate change. Within this project, continuous monitoring of rainfall in Nový Bydžov is being carried out in order to determine its potential for use as process water and thus reduce the consumption of drinking water in urban operations.

"In our research, we are investigating whether it would be possible to use captured rainwater as an alternative source of process water and thus save drinking water resources in Nový Bydžov," says Tomas Lederer, research team leader and technologist. The research is being conducted at sampling sites that include the town's swimming pool and ice rink. "By analysing groundwater and surface water samples, we are obtaining important data on the quality of rainwater and its potential for urban operational purposes," adds Lederer.

The team from TUL is trying to answer the question of how much rainwater can be used to produce ice at the ice rink and to reduce drinking water consumption at the city's swimming pool. This sustainable approach not only has the potential to protect drinking water, but also to contribute to the sustainable development of urban infrastructure in an era of climate change.

The MAURICE project is funded by the Interreg Central Europe programme and involves other European universities and research centres, including institutions in Germany, Poland and Croatia, in addition to the TUL team. The aim is to develop sustainable solutions for water resource management that could be applied in cities and other European regions.