Water Energy Nexus

Water Energy Nexus is primarily concerned with the supply chain related to Integrated Water Service, which includes the energy produced through the use of water, the energy consumed to extract, purify, deliver, treat and dispose of water, and the management of residuals and impacts on the environment.

CHALLENGES IDENTIFIED:

1. Technologies and tools for wastewater and drinking water treatment: - research and development of new purification technologies that are more efficient, particularly with respect to emerging pollutants, and less energy-intensive; - valorization of urban and industrial wastewater as a resource and not as waste according to the principles of the circular economy.
2. Integrated technologies to support water planning, management and monitoring: - prevention and monitoring strategies in line with the operational strategies of the Water Safety Plan (WSP) and Sanitation Safety Plans (SSP) approach, and with a view to achieving environmental sustainability objectives.

CLUSTER OBJECTIVES:

Cluster Responses to CHALLENGE 1
Promote:

1. new technologies for energy savings and the production/recovery of electrical and thermal energy from water treatment processes within the IIS
2.  the implementation of more efficient purification processes towards non-traditional pollutants for both wastewater and drinking water; 
3. the development and application of technologies capable of reducing sludge production;
4. the enhancement of the reuse of sewage sludge for the recovery of raw materials (phosphorus, ...), or secondary (bio-plastics, bio-ols, enzymes, pigments, ...);
5. large-scale implementation of rainfall runoff originating from urban basins for river flood control in urban areas through integrated approaches: ICT, management actions, impact assessments, etc.

Cluster Responses to CHALLENGE 2
Promote:

1. the diffusion of monitoring for the identification of organic micropollutants and microplastics from wastewater and drinking water in regional treatment systems;
2. the identification of smart detection systems also for the monitoring of emerging contaminants and systems based on Artificial Intelligence capable of assessing risk prevention through the integration of analytical and management information;
3. the promotion of the demand for innovation and training of new professionals aimed at the protection of water resources in "smart cities" strategies.

SPECIAL PROJECTS

1. Emerging and Priority Micropollutants (EMPs)