École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne is a university that is part of the pulse of the water sector. Here we bring together everything it publishes on Smart Water Magazine: its news, its blogs and the events it takes part in.
Researchers discover novel deepwater renewal process in Lake Geneva
EPFL researchers have discovered that deepwater renewal in Lake Geneva in wintertime is not only due to vertical mixing. Instead, strong currents coming from the lake's Petit Lac basin and nearshore zones of the Grand Lac play a vital role. In temperate lakes, deep vertical mixing, known as turnover, happens during winter. As the surface water […]
Nanodevices can produce energy from evaporating tap or seawater
Evaporation is a natural process so ubiquitous that most of us take it for granted. In fact, roughly half of the solar energy that reaches the Earth drives evaporative processes. Since 2017, researchers have been working to harness the energy potential of evaporation via the hydrovoltaic (HV) effect, which allows electricity to be harvested when […]
Why rivers matter for the global carbon cycle
In a new journal article, EPFL professor Tom Battin reviews our current understanding of carbon fluxes in the world's river networks. He demonstrates their central role in the global carbon cycle and argues for the creation of a global River Observation System. Until recently, our understanding of the global carbon cycle was largely limited to […]
Solar nanowire-nanotube filter offers easy access to clean drinking water
Even today, clean water is a privilege for many people across the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 1.8 billion people consume water contaminated with feces, and by 2040, a large portion of the world will endure water stress because of insufficient resources of drinking water. Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s […]
Swiss rivers on track to overheat by the end of the century
According to an EPFL study, if we take immediate measures to reduce CO2 emissions, we could limit the rise in the temperature of Swiss rivers to 1 degree Celsius between now and 2090 without drastically affecting their discharge. Inaction, on the other hand, would threaten ecosystems and jeopardize the country's agriculture sector and electricity production. "People […]
Deepwater renewal in Lake Geneva in light of climate change
EPFL scientists have studied two mechanisms that can help bring oxygen to the depths of a lake – essential for preserving the lake’s ecosystem. The classical deepwater renewal caused by surface cooling during winter is becoming less efficient due to climate change, especially in deep lakes. Lakes need to contain a certain level of dissolved […]
Protecting estuarine cities from rising sea levels
As climate change raises sea levels, estuarine cities are facing up to the dual threat of flooding and significant erosion. Research by a joint team from EPFL and the UNSW Sydney sheds new light on the hydrodynamic forces at play and paves the way for preventive strategies. Almost 60% of the global population lives near […]
Rivers are warming at the same rate as the atmosphere
Researchers at EPFL and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) have found that the temperature of Swiss rivers is rising steadily. This situation is straining ecosystems and could limit the use of this water in Switzerland’s nuclear and hydropower industries. For a long time, meltwater from snow and glaciers has […]
Liquid flow is influenced by a quantum effect in water
Researchers at EPFL have discovered that the viscosity of solutions of electrically charged polymers dissolved in water is influenced by a quantum effect. This tiny quantum effect influences the way water molecules interact with one another. Yet, it can lead to drastic changes in large-scale observations. This effect could change the way scientists understand the […]