Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SmartWaterTwin (TWINNING FOR SMART WATER- THINKING AND RETHINKING WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT IN CIRCULAR ECONOMY FRAME)
Reporting period: 2022-09-01 to 2023-11-30
Western Balkans are projected to be severely hit by climate change. In response to climate change, increasing resource scarcity, and environmental degradation, societies around the world are driving the transition towards the ‘circular economy’ that focuses on reducing material consumption, reusing materials, and recovering materials from waste. In the context of water resources management, water utilities are beginning to promote the circular water economy that reduces water consumption, reuses and recycles water and wastewater, and recovers materials, including heat and minerals, from water and wastewater to not only mitigate greenhouse gas emissions but also enhance resilience to climate change. By adopting circular economy principles in the processing of wastewater is that resource recovery and reuse could transform sanitation from a costly service to a self-sustaining and value-adding system. The Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, through its pillars, addresses the initiatives to support the region in developing circular economy strategies and fighting pollution of air, water and soil. It further states that WB region has only basic sanitary facilities and wastewater collection, while urban areas with collection of wastewater via sewer networks discharge mostly untreated wastewater. In Republic of Serbia, only 1.7% of wastewater per capita is treated. RS still has an engineering approach to wastewater treatment design versus river basin level one. Great investment are expected in this sector and knowledge-based solutions are necessary. Key goal of SmartWaterTwin project is establishing a methodological framework for potential applying of circular-economy principles into wastewater sector in Republic of Serbia. Joint action to harmonize Serbia's economic, environmental and social goals with EU goals will be also very useful in promoting broad acceptance of the circular economy concept in this sector. Furthermore, the end objective is to develop a unique platform for circular economy-wastewater treatment nexus to envelop most recent scientific reach in the field, expertise, data exchange and to prompt the joint research collaboration. Assessment of external and internal factors and what influencing these factors will be performed, to ensure pathways are clear towards transitioning towards circular economy in wastewater sector. In this way, the SmartWaterTwin will have long-lasting impact in promoting broad acceptance of the concept of the circular economy in this field. In addition, it will serve as “soft instrument” for creating the boundary conditions for circularity by influencing knowledge levels, collaboration and governance structures.
Trough
Objective 1. Bridging the scientific knowledge gap and moving towards innovative technology in circular economy context Coherent approach for stepping up and stimulating scientific excellence and innovation capacity in the field of sustainable water management and encroaching toward circular economy begun. This objective has a clear focus on knowledge transfer and lessons learned in the water management field and moving towards innovation. Plan for stepping up and stimulating scientific excellence and innovation capacity in water management is developed for raising excellence of coordinating institution researchers. Roadmap for improving services of the UNSPMF research administration is delivered with clear action plan towards reaching sustainable funding. One Expert visit to partner institution ICRA was performed covering main topics of resource recovery from wastewater.
Trough Objective 2 Establishing a methodological framework for applying circular-economy principles into wastewater sector in Serbia joint efforts to introduce systematic changes in the structure of water-based waste disposal practices and other elements of the water management through circular economy principles. Analysis assessment for the potential benefits of the circular economy for Serbia is performed, and can later be example for entire WB region. Developing SmartWaterToolkit is ongoing activity and is being performed together with national authorities. Also target groups for Factsheet is being defined. 1st SmartWatertwin Summer forum (workshop with CPD course) - hybrid event for knowledge diffusion toward different target groups was successful gathering over 100 participants from diverse groups such as from public utility companies, public water management companies and other competent institutions in the field of water management, laboratories for the analysis of water and sediment samples, institutes for public health, industrial operators, industry and faculties and scientific institutes. Valuable lecture resource is gathered and made available.
Within this objective Public policy training is scheduled for UNSPMF staff for advocating circular economy in wastewater sector in the near future.
Objective 3. Twinning for coherent international approach to the circular economy is on the beginning of the development. The core of this objective is developing a comparative analysis from two perspectives – thinking and rethinking of circular-economy in water sector. Thinking approach enables introduction of CE principles from initial design phase of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP).
Within this objective Case-study for industry will be developed and industry is chosen within the food sector. Knowledge SmartWater HUB is established and the materials are being constantly added.
Objective 4. Enforcing and expanding ECR competencies in advanced wastewater treatment field
This objective is aimed towards creating strong early carrier researchers (ECR) scientific profile, recognizable and competitive at the regional and European level, capable of independently solving complex problems and providing relevant answers to social challenges within their scope of work.
Early carrier researchers ECR had their first ECR training sessions getting valuable insight into state-of-the-art research and modern laboratory set-up.
ECR participated in two international and one national conference.
One manuscript is being submitted in high impacted journal and is in moderate review phase.
Advanced wastewater treatment spring school – learning event is scheduled for PM20. First First announcement prepared and program is being developed.
Objective 1. Bridging the scientific knowledge gap and moving towards innovative technology in circular economy context Coherent approach for stepping up and stimulating scientific excellence and innovation capacity in the field of sustainable water management and encroaching toward circular economy begun. This objective has a clear focus on knowledge transfer and lessons learned in the water management field and moving towards innovation. Plan for stepping up and stimulating scientific excellence and innovation capacity in water management is developed for raising excellence of coordinating institution researchers. Roadmap for improving services of the UNSPMF research administration is delivered with clear action plan towards reaching sustainable funding. One Expert visit to partner institution ICRA was performed covering main topics of resource recovery from wastewater.
Trough Objective 2 Establishing a methodological framework for applying circular-economy principles into wastewater sector in Serbia joint efforts to introduce systematic changes in the structure of water-based waste disposal practices and other elements of the water management through circular economy principles. Analysis assessment for the potential benefits of the circular economy for Serbia is performed, and can later be example for entire WB region. Developing SmartWaterToolkit is ongoing activity and is being performed together with national authorities. Also target groups for Factsheet is being defined. 1st SmartWatertwin Summer forum (workshop with CPD course) - hybrid event for knowledge diffusion toward different target groups was successful gathering over 100 participants from diverse groups such as from public utility companies, public water management companies and other competent institutions in the field of water management, laboratories for the analysis of water and sediment samples, institutes for public health, industrial operators, industry and faculties and scientific institutes. Valuable lecture resource is gathered and made available.
Within this objective Public policy training is scheduled for UNSPMF staff for advocating circular economy in wastewater sector in the near future.
Objective 3. Twinning for coherent international approach to the circular economy is on the beginning of the development. The core of this objective is developing a comparative analysis from two perspectives – thinking and rethinking of circular-economy in water sector. Thinking approach enables introduction of CE principles from initial design phase of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP).
Within this objective Case-study for industry will be developed and industry is chosen within the food sector. Knowledge SmartWater HUB is established and the materials are being constantly added.
Objective 4. Enforcing and expanding ECR competencies in advanced wastewater treatment field
This objective is aimed towards creating strong early carrier researchers (ECR) scientific profile, recognizable and competitive at the regional and European level, capable of independently solving complex problems and providing relevant answers to social challenges within their scope of work.
Early carrier researchers ECR had their first ECR training sessions getting valuable insight into state-of-the-art research and modern laboratory set-up.
ECR participated in two international and one national conference.
One manuscript is being submitted in high impacted journal and is in moderate review phase.
Advanced wastewater treatment spring school – learning event is scheduled for PM20. First First announcement prepared and program is being developed.
All results helped moving forward defined project IMPACT. Further research within objective 4 is crucial for further developing of early career researchers and increasing their skills.
Further endeavors will include developing project documents such as Toolkit, Factsheets and Comparative Study aiming the outcomes to decision makers bodies at national level.
Further endeavors will include developing project documents such as Toolkit, Factsheets and Comparative Study aiming the outcomes to decision makers bodies at national level.