Periodic Reporting for period 2 - WIDER UPTAKE (Achieving wider uptake of water-smart solutions)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-11-01 al 2023-04-30
Resources from wastewater must be recovered and utilized to ensure access to clean water, enough food and good living conditions for all.
Despite an increasing focus on recycling, we recycle very little wastewater and the resources it contains. And the barriers are not mainly technological; several solutions have been developed to recover and utilize wastewater resources. Regulations and lack of business models are much bigger challenges.
The aim of WIDER UPTAKE is to explore how to make the best use of water resources, limit emissions and develop sustainable business models for a water-smart society. Researchers and water utilities in five countries demonstrate circular economic models for how wastewater resources can be utilised in a water-smart society. The demo cases in WIDER UPTAKE are:
• Using phosphorus and sludge from wastewater to produce fertilizers, soil products and biogas (Norway)
• Production of biocomposites for manufacturing materials with resources recovered from the entire water cycle (The Netherlands)
• Using purified wastewater for urban greening (Czech Republic)
• Use purified wastewater for irrigation in agriculture and make biochar from sludge. Biochar will replace wood as a source of energy in industry (Ghana)
• Using wastewater for irrigation in agriculture and extracting phosphorus and nitrogen for fertilizers (Italy)
Reducing water consumption and promoting reuse and recycling of water and other wastewater resources in sustainable business models, entails a paradigm shift. If the pilot projects succeed, this will entail lower emissions, more efficient use of resources and increased value creation through water-smart solutions to the mutual benefit of the water sector and various industries.
The overall objective is to facilitate industrial symbiosis by co-development of a roadmap towards wider uptake of water-smart solutions for wastewater reuse and resource recovery based on the principles of circular economy.
Despite an increasing focus on recycling, we recycle very little wastewater and the resources it contains. And the barriers are not mainly technological; several solutions have been developed to recover and utilize wastewater resources. Regulations and lack of business models are much bigger challenges.
The aim of WIDER UPTAKE is to explore how to make the best use of water resources, limit emissions and develop sustainable business models for a water-smart society. Researchers and water utilities in five countries demonstrate circular economic models for how wastewater resources can be utilised in a water-smart society. The demo cases in WIDER UPTAKE are:
• Using phosphorus and sludge from wastewater to produce fertilizers, soil products and biogas (Norway)
• Production of biocomposites for manufacturing materials with resources recovered from the entire water cycle (The Netherlands)
• Using purified wastewater for urban greening (Czech Republic)
• Use purified wastewater for irrigation in agriculture and make biochar from sludge. Biochar will replace wood as a source of energy in industry (Ghana)
• Using wastewater for irrigation in agriculture and extracting phosphorus and nitrogen for fertilizers (Italy)
Reducing water consumption and promoting reuse and recycling of water and other wastewater resources in sustainable business models, entails a paradigm shift. If the pilot projects succeed, this will entail lower emissions, more efficient use of resources and increased value creation through water-smart solutions to the mutual benefit of the water sector and various industries.
The overall objective is to facilitate industrial symbiosis by co-development of a roadmap towards wider uptake of water-smart solutions for wastewater reuse and resource recovery based on the principles of circular economy.
The project has achieved all milestones and submitted all but two of the deliverables originally scheduled to be completed by end of April 2023.
In Sicily, more effort than foreseen has been required to achieve the objectives. D1.1 was completed on schedule. During RP2, pilot scale nutrient adsorption and testing to optimise resource recovery has been completed. Materials recovery and reuse of wastewater is still under operation.
In Ghana, establishment of required infrastructure required more time than planned. Treated wastewater has been supplied to farmers for irrigation of urban agriculture. Biochar from wastewater sludge and sawdust has been assessed as an alternative to wood-based charcoal.
T the activities in Stavanger have been according to plans. Higher suspended solids recovery has investigated. Biological phosphorus removal and phosphorus recovery as struvite have been studied. In Trondheim, a scale model has been built to investigate misc. challenges at SNJ.
At Hamar, a new final separation process for suspended solids removal has been assessed. The recovered struvite has a quality in accordance with EU regulation. The activity to produce soil products with treated sludge as ingredients have been delayed consequently.
In the Czech Republic, the results demonstrated that it is possible to use treated WWTP effluent for irrigating in an urban environment. The water quality remained within the legislative limits. The treated effluent exhibited higher levels of nutrients, which can be beneficial for plant growth.
In the Netherlands the activities to develop and demonstrate the new biocomposite material have resulted in some modifications in the recipes of the biocomposite materials. Several products have been developed and are being evaluated for marketing.
In WP2 the database is now capable of producing coherent reports based on quantitative risk assessment results and processed legislative documents. Desktop-based risk assessments are also being performed for all case to validate the database results.
The work in WP3, development of the new methodology for the assessment and optimisation of circularity and efficiency of symbiotic solutions has been finalised. Use of the framework demonstrates clear potential and benefits of SCES solutions in all case studies.
In WP4, a network analysis was conducted, to provide more detailed knowledge about the network structures. Exploration of new business models was done applying the Triple Layered Business Model Canvas and elements of the Ecologies of Business Model Experimentation.
In WP5 all the research partners have been invited to discuss properties that should be covered by the Water Smartness and Sustainability (WSS&S) framework. Workshops, have been organised with the research partners and CoPs in the demonstration cases to provide inputs.
In WP6, it has been decided to change to the Water Europe Market Place for dissemination of the roadmap guide. D6.3 has been finalised, and the first version of the roadmap guide (D6.6) has been prepared. Dissemination and communication activities have continued as in RP1.
In WP7, Communities of Practice were established at local-, project- and trans-project level. After Covid-19, a meeting of the consortium was organised in June 2022. This was the first face to face meeting for the whole consortium and contributed to improved collaboration and.
The work on Communities of Practice (CoP), where the main activity has been done by the local CoP partners, initiating virtual seminars on various subjects related to the demonstration cases. In the CIRSEAU cluster WIDER UPTAKE is leading the WG on Young Water Professionals.
In Sicily, more effort than foreseen has been required to achieve the objectives. D1.1 was completed on schedule. During RP2, pilot scale nutrient adsorption and testing to optimise resource recovery has been completed. Materials recovery and reuse of wastewater is still under operation.
In Ghana, establishment of required infrastructure required more time than planned. Treated wastewater has been supplied to farmers for irrigation of urban agriculture. Biochar from wastewater sludge and sawdust has been assessed as an alternative to wood-based charcoal.
T the activities in Stavanger have been according to plans. Higher suspended solids recovery has investigated. Biological phosphorus removal and phosphorus recovery as struvite have been studied. In Trondheim, a scale model has been built to investigate misc. challenges at SNJ.
At Hamar, a new final separation process for suspended solids removal has been assessed. The recovered struvite has a quality in accordance with EU regulation. The activity to produce soil products with treated sludge as ingredients have been delayed consequently.
In the Czech Republic, the results demonstrated that it is possible to use treated WWTP effluent for irrigating in an urban environment. The water quality remained within the legislative limits. The treated effluent exhibited higher levels of nutrients, which can be beneficial for plant growth.
In the Netherlands the activities to develop and demonstrate the new biocomposite material have resulted in some modifications in the recipes of the biocomposite materials. Several products have been developed and are being evaluated for marketing.
In WP2 the database is now capable of producing coherent reports based on quantitative risk assessment results and processed legislative documents. Desktop-based risk assessments are also being performed for all case to validate the database results.
The work in WP3, development of the new methodology for the assessment and optimisation of circularity and efficiency of symbiotic solutions has been finalised. Use of the framework demonstrates clear potential and benefits of SCES solutions in all case studies.
In WP4, a network analysis was conducted, to provide more detailed knowledge about the network structures. Exploration of new business models was done applying the Triple Layered Business Model Canvas and elements of the Ecologies of Business Model Experimentation.
In WP5 all the research partners have been invited to discuss properties that should be covered by the Water Smartness and Sustainability (WSS&S) framework. Workshops, have been organised with the research partners and CoPs in the demonstration cases to provide inputs.
In WP6, it has been decided to change to the Water Europe Market Place for dissemination of the roadmap guide. D6.3 has been finalised, and the first version of the roadmap guide (D6.6) has been prepared. Dissemination and communication activities have continued as in RP1.
In WP7, Communities of Practice were established at local-, project- and trans-project level. After Covid-19, a meeting of the consortium was organised in June 2022. This was the first face to face meeting for the whole consortium and contributed to improved collaboration and.
The work on Communities of Practice (CoP), where the main activity has been done by the local CoP partners, initiating virtual seminars on various subjects related to the demonstration cases. In the CIRSEAU cluster WIDER UPTAKE is leading the WG on Young Water Professionals.
WIDER UPTAKE aims to go beyond stat of the art by key innovative actions. The state of play at Month-36 is:
• Pilot and full-scale plants to demonstrate the WRRF concept implemented at UNIPA, SSGL, Marinero, Corleone and IVAR. Pilot testing completed in Sicily and at IVAR in Norway
• The new EBPR process with continuous MBBR and full scale P-recovery plant in operation at Hias. Struvite produced is in compliance with the EU regulations
• Ammonium adsorption, desorption and recovery by acid and alkaline treated zeolite published
• Demonstration of irrigation in urban grey-green solutions with different water qualities has been completed. Good results concerning water quality, regulatory barriers still hinder uptake.
• Fertilizer production is previously established at IVAR Economical and sustainability aspects of using additional sludge from another treatment facility are being analysed.
• Baseline study on irrigation and fuel needs have been completed and biochar is produced at SSGL and under testing by an SME in Accra supported by CSIR.
• Several recipes have been developed for biocomposite materials with different ingredients and properties.
• The procedure for monitoring and control of health and quality risks has been applied on the results from in Prague. Data collection and testing in the other demonstration cases are in progress.
• A Circularity/efficiency assessment and optimisation framework has been developed.
• The GOCIWA-tool for systematic, qualitative assessment of the conditions, drivers and barriers to circular economy based on water-smart solutions in different governance contexts.
• A Water Smartness and Sustainability framework has been developed.
• Pilot and full-scale plants to demonstrate the WRRF concept implemented at UNIPA, SSGL, Marinero, Corleone and IVAR. Pilot testing completed in Sicily and at IVAR in Norway
• The new EBPR process with continuous MBBR and full scale P-recovery plant in operation at Hias. Struvite produced is in compliance with the EU regulations
• Ammonium adsorption, desorption and recovery by acid and alkaline treated zeolite published
• Demonstration of irrigation in urban grey-green solutions with different water qualities has been completed. Good results concerning water quality, regulatory barriers still hinder uptake.
• Fertilizer production is previously established at IVAR Economical and sustainability aspects of using additional sludge from another treatment facility are being analysed.
• Baseline study on irrigation and fuel needs have been completed and biochar is produced at SSGL and under testing by an SME in Accra supported by CSIR.
• Several recipes have been developed for biocomposite materials with different ingredients and properties.
• The procedure for monitoring and control of health and quality risks has been applied on the results from in Prague. Data collection and testing in the other demonstration cases are in progress.
• A Circularity/efficiency assessment and optimisation framework has been developed.
• The GOCIWA-tool for systematic, qualitative assessment of the conditions, drivers and barriers to circular economy based on water-smart solutions in different governance contexts.
• A Water Smartness and Sustainability framework has been developed.