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It appears that improved separated sewer systems (VGS) do not lead to better surface water quality than water discharged by a separated system (GS). A VGS does unnecessarily discharge much more rainwater to the sewage treatment plant (WWTP) and thus misses its target. However, this can be remedied with relatively simple measures. Adding an extra pump and a control system to a VGS offers the possibility of (better) directing the wastewater: clean water to the surface water, dirty water to the treatment plant. We call this the improved separated sewer system 2.0. If all existing VGS systems are adapted to VGS 2.0, this will result in the same reduction in discharge to the WWTP as disconnecting 300,000 households, the researchers have calculated. The saving for the water board is just as great, but costs only a fraction of the 2.5 billion euros that would be needed for disconnection. In addition, VGS 2.0 can save approximately 3 million euros per year on operational treatment costs in the Netherlands. This amounts to 25 million euros per year if wastewater at the wwzi is given post-treatment for micropollutants, according to the researchers. Research was carried out on behalf of the Foundation for Applied Water Management Research STOWA and the RIONED foundation. More information at https://www.stowa.nl/publicaties/ande...