WssTP supports the Innovation Union / the EIP "Water Efficient Europe"

WssTP just released its Position to strongly supports the EIP

WssTP (the European Technology Platform for Water) supports the Innovation Union. Overcoming fragmentation and duplication, facilitation of technology transfer, and the establishment of an enabling framework in the widest sense have also been identified by us as the major challenges for innovation in the water sector. We support in particular the creation of a European Innovation Partnership for “Water Efficient Europe” as it addresses one of the key societal challenges of our life-time: the availability of water for households, industry, agriculture and the environment. It will also contribute to achieving our vision “the European water sector should be the leading centre of expertise for providing safe, clean and affordable water services while protecting nature by 2030”.

• Water, a key market for more innovation

Global market:                    250,000 plants worldwide (Water and wastewater treatment plants)

Jobs in Europe:                    >600,000 direct jobs

Huge market:                       250 to 350 Billion € (Municipal and industrial water and wastewater capital expenditure)

Expected Growth:             2% to 10% (Lead market: China, India, and Middle East)

Water and wastewater    > 3.5 Million Km water distribution pipes

infrastructure networks > 2.5 Million Km waste water sewers

in Europe                               = 70,000 wastewater treatment plants

European water companies are leading the market today.

• Water, a key grand societal challenge

Water is vital to life and the supply of water in good quantity and quality is central to key needs of human and economical activities such as:

-     Water supply: to deliver potable water of high quality to the urban and rural populations and maintain public health

-     Sanitation: to collect, treat and dispose wastewater to protect the environment and aquatic ecosystems

-     Agriculture: to provide water for irrigation and support sustainable food production

-     Industry: to use as conveying, cleaning, cooling and heating element in manufacturing processes

-     Energy: to use as energy source (hydropower) or as cooling element

-     Recreational activities: to provide clean water bodies for water based activities (bathing, fishing, sports etc)

Facing key grand societal challenges, the water sector offers tremendous economic opportunities among which:

1.   Eco-Hydrology: Innovation should enhance the capacity of natural water systems to adapt to adverse processes (Climate Change mitigation).

2.   Sustainable cities: Innovation should focus on integrating the management of the water cycle into urban planning and design, including closing the water cycle to reconcile water supply and demand.

3.   Eco-Efficient Processes with resources recovery: Innovation should be targeted to foster water efficiency of water users and to turn to a “low energy water sector”.

4.   Renewable energy from water: Innovation should aim to produce more energy from the water cycle, such as wastewater (heat and carbon); from algae (3^rd generation biofuel); from“Blue energy” (osmosis power, wave and tidal power, geothermic etc.); from household (i.e. energy recovery of hot water); etc

5.   Information management: Innovation should develop a wide spectrum of eco-technologies for the monitoring and management complex environmental systems.

• Water, a sector ready for innovation

Since 2004, the European water sector has worked together through the activities of WssTP to develop a vision and a Strategic Research Agenda, WssTP has been proactive in involving Industries and other stakeholders, including decentralized authorities, in this common vision. Today, WssTP consists of 61 corporate members and a network of more than 700 individuals from Industry, Academic, Research, Policy Makers and Water Utilities. Since 2008, WssTP produced ten thematic reports on specific research and technology developments and two Scientific Publications. WssTP generated numerous pilots across Europe to demonstrate and implement novel concepts and technologies. WssTP also successfully initiated the EUREKA Cluster on Water, ACQUEAU to boost innovation and market driven solutions for the water sector. The strength of the network of WssTP represents a key opportunity in setting an efficient and innovative European Innovation Partnership.   

You can download a PDF version of the WssTP position paper on the Innovation Union here.