UCM has launched the excellent research WATCH - Society in the Mirror of Water. Expert team of partners discussed for the first time
Today was the first meeting of the expert team of the WATCH - Society in the Mirror of Water project, which has the ambition to build a comprehensive system of wastewater epidemiology in Slovakia. This is the first ever such large-scale interdisciplinary collaboration involving academic, research and industrial institutions.
The project is implemented by a consortium led by the University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava in cooperation with partners:
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Academy of Police Corps in Bratislava
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Centre for Scientific and Technical Information of the Slovak Republic
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Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava
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CHEZAR, spol. s r.o.
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SEC Technologies, s.r.o.
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YMS, a.s.
What is the project about?
The aim of the project is to develop a system for monitoring the health status of the population, water quality, the spread of infectious diseases and safety risks through the analysis of wastewater. The research will focus on:
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pathogens, viruses, bacteria and civilisation diseases,
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micropollutants and environmental contaminants,
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drug metabolites and traces of illegal activities,
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pharmaceutical residues and antibiotic resistance.
Wastewater acts as a mirror of society - it contains information about health and social trends before they are reflected in clinical data or statistics.
WATCH is conceived as a long-term strategic project. As early as 3-5 years after its completion, measurable results are expected, especially in the areas of public health, rapid disease detection and ecosystem monitoring.
A project with significant societal benefits
The results of the project may help in the future:
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Identify epidemics early before clinical outbreaks,
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monitor the drug situation and security threats,
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detect environmental violations and toxic substances,
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improve water quality and ecosystem protection,
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support smart cities/smart society approach.
The WATCH project represents a key scientific milestone for UCM and partners that can fundamentally move Slovakia towards a more modern approach to health and environmental risk management. Thanks to multidisciplinary collaboration, it has the potential to become a unique European system for monitoring society through wastewater, which will also bring practical solutions for state authorities, municipalities and health institutions.
