[PRESS RELEASE]

Madrid, 16^th September 2020.

This September saw the launch of the European project Resilient Water Innovation for Smart Economy – REWAISE, within the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. The aim of REWAISE is to create a new “smart water ecosystem”, to result in a carbon free, sustainable hydrological cycle, in line with the concept of a resilient circular economy, recovering energy, nutrients and materials from water.

To embrace this concept and emphasize the true value of water, the project develops an intelligent digital platform for decentralized solutions and decision making, involving all relevant stakeholders with in Living Labs to share best practices and facilitate co-creation.

The project will be undertaken by 24 entities from 11 different European countries, led by Aqualia, to work together during the next 5 years in order to shift the paradigm from a linear to a circular, water smart economy. REWAISE will reveal the full Value of Water, considering three key technical, economic and societal factors to generate:

• the value in water, by extracting and putting to beneficial use dissolved substances such as nutrients, minerals, chemicals and metals, as well as organic matter and energy, embedded in raw and used water streams.
• the value from water, that expresses the importance of water for economic activities and related businesses of the water sector, particularly SMEs.
• the value through water, considering the societal, health and well-being functions of water, as it enables almost all our economic activities, and most products have a significant water footprint: energy and transportation depend on it.

With the help of a network of 9 living labs, distributed all around Europe and grouped in 3 hubs across the main European climate zones (Mediterranean, Atlantic and Continental), REWAISE will demonstrate in real life operational environments the technological innovations and new water governance models achieved. Through these living labs, REWAISE will enhance social engagement, adapt normative barriers, remove obstacles for sustainable value chains, and develop common digital tools in a holistic approach of a water-smart society. The concepts will be scalable and replicable to other municipalities and utilities in Europe and worldwide, allowing to optimize resources allocation and value creation in the water cycle.

With an EU contribution of 15 M EU, REWAISE will also create new market niches and foster SME growth by mobilizing water related investments, such as the World Water Innovation Fund, and linking users with specific water needs, incorporating economic models and sustainability assessments such as life cycle, cost, or risk analysis. New business related to water will be boosted by enhancing market uptake of new raw materials production and facilitating logistics of recycled products, also bringing to reality innovative processes for water treatment and energy production.

The Consortium

REWAISE will be executed by 24 European entities from Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom. These entities are experts in the different sectors involved in the project: water, energy, local governance, venture capitals and business experts, research and ancillary services.

The entities are: AQUALIA, SEVERN TRENT WATER, VA SYD, AQUANET, EUROPEAN NETWORK OF LIVING LABS, HIDROTEC TECNOLOGIA DEL AGUA, MALMO STAD, POLYMEM, RESOURSEAS, BLUETECH, AQUAPORIN, WE&B, ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SOLUTIONS, SOLAR WATER, INSTYTUT EKOLOGII TERENOW UPRZEMYSLOWIONYCH -IETU, UNIVERSITAT DE VALENCIA, TECHNICKA UNIVERZITA OSTRAVA, FAKULTET ELEKTROTEHNIKE I RACUNARSTVA, CETIM, COVENTRY UNIVERSITY, LUNDS UNIVERSITET, POLITECHNIKA POZNANSKA, PKF ATTEST INNCOME and UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PALERMO

Press contact

rewaise@inncome.es

Jaime Lara Sánchez | 0034 689 889 939 | jaime.lara@inncome.es

Garbiñe González | 0034 666 357 054 | garbine.gonzalez@inncome.es