RESearCh network towards an understanding and mitigation of diffuse Urban POLLution

Europe has been at the forefront of regulating urban waste water and its environmental impact setting out four principles: planning, regulation, monitoring and information and reporting. Despite years of regulation and investment to reduce point source water pollution, there is growing awareness of the challenges posed by pollution from diffuse agricultural and urban sources (i.e. pollution from surface runoff and atmospheric deposition) and the billions in cost. We propose to establish a suite of methods that will be flexible so as to allow it to be adapted for most current micro- and nanoscale particles in diffuse pollution and indeed, future engineered micro- and nanoscale particles. Furthermore, the acquired knowledge would assist in developing safer particles. This will entail in-depth characterisation of the particles according to size, shape, composition and non-degradability, environmental and toxicology tests and mapping their movement and potential modifications from their urban sources through the water systems and the various pathways they then enter freshwater systems (e.g. via agricultural systems where the sludge obtained in water systems is spread) to their impact on freshwater systems. This will allow the development of a water quality management strategy through the establishment of a risk assessment strategy and water quality monitoring trialled in case studies in some EU urban environments.