Natalie Lamb and the pioneering international collaboration: Brno University of Technology

While presenting at the Eastern European International Water Association Young Water Professionals Conference 2018, I met a PhD researcher, Markéta Rajnochova. As part of her PhD research in the Czech Republic, her and other researchers at Brno University of Technology were going to be running a flushing programme. 

This innovative flushing programme was designed to clean the pipes in the distribution network of Vsetín, something that had never been done before. The flushing was to get the pipes to their optimum condition because the water company in the area, Vodovody a kanalizace Vsetín, a.s., were planning on turning off the chemical chlorine and wanted to do so without impacting the water quality of their consumers. 

As my research is about chemical free drinking water treatment in the UK, I was very excited when I was invited to visit the researchers and view this pioneering research, the flushing and the switching off process in the Czech Republic. I could not wait to experience this leading research and to share this experience with other researchers in the UK.

A view of Vsetín in the Czech Republic

What did the collaboration involve? 

I visited the town of Vsetin in the Czech Republic at the end of August 2018. Before the flushing campaign had began, weeks of meticulous modelling of the case study distribution area in Vsetín was completed, to ensure the researchers from Brno University of Technology knew exactly where they would be flushing each day. Their diligent planning really paid off- I was impressed by how the work flowed, that it was completed very quickly and efficiently. 

We would travel to different hydrants within Vsetín. The researchers from Brno University of Technology as well as staff from Vodovody a kanalizace Vsetín, a.s. would work together to clean the hydrant and then prepare it for flushing. In particular, I thought the collaboration between the academics and the staff was excellent. Before, during and after the flushing, samples were collected to assess the quality of the water. When setting up this opportunity, I thought I would be observing the process. It was excellent to actually be a part of it, to be involved with the project, as I was helping with the collection and analysis of the samples.

Collaboration between Brno University of Technology, Vodovody a kanalizace Vsetín, a.s. and The University of Sheffield/Anglian Water during the flushing campaign of Vsetín

What did I gain from the opportunity?

I would really encourage others to create opportunities such as this. I have gained the contacts of some excellent international researchers, who I hope to collaborate with again in the future. I would like to invite them to see my PhD trials when I begin them. The researchers and myself discussed in detail the differences between the UK and the Czech water industry, with a specific focus on risk assessment. I hope they learned as much about the UK from me as I learned about the Czech Republic from them. 

During this experience I gained such an insight into water treatment in the Czech Republic. Doing research about a place is really not the same as going there and experiencing it first hand. This has given me is a case study company and country to write about in my thesis. This process was an excellent example of taking steps towards a chemical free distribution network. I can write about this and advise UK water companies on how they can learn from these experiences.

I gained a much greater understanding about the flushing process. This will really help me in my current PhD work as flushing is a process I intend to carry out during the experimental phase of my research. It will not only help me set up my own flushing but will also help me have a refined method as I have already experienced what works and does not work when carrying out this process. I can only hope that it goes as smoothly as the flushing in Vsetín.

Markéta Rajnochova from Brno University of Technology and Natalie Lamb from The University of Sheffield/Anglian Water comparing their water samples

Summary

In summary, I think we have successfully formed an international link with another university. I learned a lot from the researchers from Brno University of Technology and will use their expertise to better my own research and enhance my thesis. In future, I hope to feedback my findings to them when I get the results from my trials. I hope this continuing exchange of information will form a more long-lasting relationship.

Overall, I am proud of the experience and very grateful to Brno University of Technology for hosting me and to Vodovody a kanalizace Vsetín, a.s. for allowing me into their sites. I would especially like to thank Ing. Jan Ručka, Ph.D. – Senior Researcher at the Brno University of Technology, Ing. Markéta Rajnochová – Research Fellow and Ing. Tomáš Sucháček – Research Fellow for their knowledge, excellent English skills and hospitality. Thank you, too, to PREP for making the experience a possibility, through the award of a Postgraduate Experience Researcher Programme Bursary 2018.

The long-term monitoring of the drinking water quality in the distribution system of the Vsetín city and also the preparedness of the flushing campaign was funded with financial support of Technology agency of the Czech Republic Zéta Project No. TJ01000296 "Drinking Water Quality Management in Water Supply Networks".

Researchers and staff from Brno University of Technology, Vodovody a kanalizace Vsetín, a.s. and The University of Sheffield/Anglian Water