Rainwater management and associated health risks: case study on the Welfengarten campus of the Leibniz University of Hannover, Germany

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Authors

View graph of relations

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number1590548
JournalFrontiers in Water
Volume7
Publication statusPublished - 20 Jun 2025

Abstract

In the face of growing climate change challenges and increasing uncertainty over water availability, roof-harvested rainwater emerges as a promising alternative source in urban settings. At the Welfengarten campus, rainwater from the main building's roof feeds a pond that overflows into a park. However, concerns arise about potential waterborne diseases affecting children interacting with the pond. This study assessed the microbiological water quality of the urban pond and the associated health risks. Bi-monthly water sampling was conducted in 2020 and 2021, field observations documented interactions with the pond, and a microbial risk assessment quantified health risks from recreational exposure, addressing a critical gap in urban water safety research. Microbial analysis showed Total coliforms (4.41 × 101 to 2.42 × 103 MPN/100 mL), E. coli (5.20 × 100 to 4.61 × 102 MPN/100 mL), Enterococci (1.60 × 101 to 1.73 × 103 MPN/100 mL), Salmonella spp. (2.00 × 102 to 2.10 × 104 CFU/100 mL) and P. aeruginosa (4.00 × 100 to 6.00 × 103 MPN/100 mL). QMRA results showed maximum daily infection probabilities of 3.18 × 10−1 for Enterococci and 2.48 × 10−1 for Salmonella spp., exceeding the USEPA benchmark (3.60 × 10−2), while other bacteria remained below it. Given the lack of water quality guidelines for these environments, regular monitoring, particularly during summer, is recommended to safeguard public health and guide future water management policies.

Keywords

    gastrointestinal illnesses, microbial risk assessment, microbiological water quality, recreational interaction, roof-harvested rainwater, waterborne diseases

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Sustainable Development Goals

Cite this

Rainwater management and associated health risks: case study on the Welfengarten campus of the Leibniz University of Hannover, Germany. / Carpio-Vallejo, Estefania; Düker, Urda; Nogueira, Regina.
In: Frontiers in Water, Vol. 7, 1590548, 20.06.2025.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Carpio-Vallejo E, Düker U, Nogueira R. Rainwater management and associated health risks: case study on the Welfengarten campus of the Leibniz University of Hannover, Germany. Frontiers in Water. 2025 Jun 20;7:1590548. doi: 10.3389/frwa.2025.1590548
Download
@article{11dbdbe9565742cd8bb69db3718dd4f1,
title = "Rainwater management and associated health risks: case study on the Welfengarten campus of the Leibniz University of Hannover, Germany",
abstract = "In the face of growing climate change challenges and increasing uncertainty over water availability, roof-harvested rainwater emerges as a promising alternative source in urban settings. At the Welfengarten campus, rainwater from the main building's roof feeds a pond that overflows into a park. However, concerns arise about potential waterborne diseases affecting children interacting with the pond. This study assessed the microbiological water quality of the urban pond and the associated health risks. Bi-monthly water sampling was conducted in 2020 and 2021, field observations documented interactions with the pond, and a microbial risk assessment quantified health risks from recreational exposure, addressing a critical gap in urban water safety research. Microbial analysis showed Total coliforms (4.41 × 101 to 2.42 × 103 MPN/100 mL), E. coli (5.20 × 100 to 4.61 × 102 MPN/100 mL), Enterococci (1.60 × 101 to 1.73 × 103 MPN/100 mL), Salmonella spp. (2.00 × 102 to 2.10 × 104 CFU/100 mL) and P. aeruginosa (4.00 × 100 to 6.00 × 103 MPN/100 mL). QMRA results showed maximum daily infection probabilities of 3.18 × 10−1 for Enterococci and 2.48 × 10−1 for Salmonella spp., exceeding the USEPA benchmark (3.60 × 10−2), while other bacteria remained below it. Given the lack of water quality guidelines for these environments, regular monitoring, particularly during summer, is recommended to safeguard public health and guide future water management policies.",
keywords = "gastrointestinal illnesses, microbial risk assessment, microbiological water quality, recreational interaction, roof-harvested rainwater, waterborne diseases",
author = "Estefania Carpio-Vallejo and Urda D{\"u}ker and Regina Nogueira",
note = "Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} 2025 Carpio-Vallejo, D{\"u}ker and Nogueira.",
year = "2025",
month = jun,
day = "20",
doi = "10.3389/frwa.2025.1590548",
language = "English",
volume = "7",

}

Download

TY - JOUR

T1 - Rainwater management and associated health risks

T2 - case study on the Welfengarten campus of the Leibniz University of Hannover, Germany

AU - Carpio-Vallejo, Estefania

AU - Düker, Urda

AU - Nogueira, Regina

N1 - Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2025 Carpio-Vallejo, Düker and Nogueira.

PY - 2025/6/20

Y1 - 2025/6/20

N2 - In the face of growing climate change challenges and increasing uncertainty over water availability, roof-harvested rainwater emerges as a promising alternative source in urban settings. At the Welfengarten campus, rainwater from the main building's roof feeds a pond that overflows into a park. However, concerns arise about potential waterborne diseases affecting children interacting with the pond. This study assessed the microbiological water quality of the urban pond and the associated health risks. Bi-monthly water sampling was conducted in 2020 and 2021, field observations documented interactions with the pond, and a microbial risk assessment quantified health risks from recreational exposure, addressing a critical gap in urban water safety research. Microbial analysis showed Total coliforms (4.41 × 101 to 2.42 × 103 MPN/100 mL), E. coli (5.20 × 100 to 4.61 × 102 MPN/100 mL), Enterococci (1.60 × 101 to 1.73 × 103 MPN/100 mL), Salmonella spp. (2.00 × 102 to 2.10 × 104 CFU/100 mL) and P. aeruginosa (4.00 × 100 to 6.00 × 103 MPN/100 mL). QMRA results showed maximum daily infection probabilities of 3.18 × 10−1 for Enterococci and 2.48 × 10−1 for Salmonella spp., exceeding the USEPA benchmark (3.60 × 10−2), while other bacteria remained below it. Given the lack of water quality guidelines for these environments, regular monitoring, particularly during summer, is recommended to safeguard public health and guide future water management policies.

AB - In the face of growing climate change challenges and increasing uncertainty over water availability, roof-harvested rainwater emerges as a promising alternative source in urban settings. At the Welfengarten campus, rainwater from the main building's roof feeds a pond that overflows into a park. However, concerns arise about potential waterborne diseases affecting children interacting with the pond. This study assessed the microbiological water quality of the urban pond and the associated health risks. Bi-monthly water sampling was conducted in 2020 and 2021, field observations documented interactions with the pond, and a microbial risk assessment quantified health risks from recreational exposure, addressing a critical gap in urban water safety research. Microbial analysis showed Total coliforms (4.41 × 101 to 2.42 × 103 MPN/100 mL), E. coli (5.20 × 100 to 4.61 × 102 MPN/100 mL), Enterococci (1.60 × 101 to 1.73 × 103 MPN/100 mL), Salmonella spp. (2.00 × 102 to 2.10 × 104 CFU/100 mL) and P. aeruginosa (4.00 × 100 to 6.00 × 103 MPN/100 mL). QMRA results showed maximum daily infection probabilities of 3.18 × 10−1 for Enterococci and 2.48 × 10−1 for Salmonella spp., exceeding the USEPA benchmark (3.60 × 10−2), while other bacteria remained below it. Given the lack of water quality guidelines for these environments, regular monitoring, particularly during summer, is recommended to safeguard public health and guide future water management policies.

KW - gastrointestinal illnesses

KW - microbial risk assessment

KW - microbiological water quality

KW - recreational interaction

KW - roof-harvested rainwater

KW - waterborne diseases

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105009891021&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3389/frwa.2025.1590548

DO - 10.3389/frwa.2025.1590548

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105009891021

VL - 7

JO - Frontiers in Water

JF - Frontiers in Water

M1 - 1590548

ER -