Water connects: Interdisciplinary dialogue at the 2nd Symposium on Water Quality and Health
In early summer 2025, AGES – the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety – and the Interuniversity Cooperation Centre for Water and Health (ICC W&H) held their second symposium on water quality and health.
Under the patronage of the Austrian Society for Hygiene, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine (ÖGHMP), around 120 participants focused on the relationship between water quality and the ‘One Health’ principle: This refers to an interdisciplinary, systemic approach that considers the close connection between human, animal and environmental health to ensure sustainable water quality.
The programme was divided into three thematic blocks and covered
- Climate change and its impact on our water resources
- The latest news on pathogens and pollutants in water, and
- Wastewater as a resource, source of information and hazard.
A particular highlight was the opening lecture by Prof. James Ebdon, University of Brighton, UK, on ‘Bacteriophages as a multifaceted tool in the environment and medicine’, which impressively demonstrated the use of bacteriophages as viral faecal indicators and their application in the fight against bacterial pathogens.
The participants and organisers unanimously agreed that the symposium series should definitely be continued!
