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Water Reuse Europe & Water Europe joint webinar on agricultural water reuse in Europe

June 27, 2023 @ 14:00 - 16:00 CEST

AGRICULTURAL WATER REUSE IN EUROPE: STATUS, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER GROWTH

According to the latest report from the JRC Global Drought Observatory on Drought in Europe released in March 20231, the impact of dry conditions on water resources availability this winter are already emerging in wide areas of western and north-western Europe and several smaller areas in southern Europe. In certain countries such as France, Spain, and northern Italy, these dry conditions are raising concerns as they follow similar patterns to the one observed in 2022 that resulted in extreme drought and impact on water supply and agriculture. Although the JRC Global Drought Observatory reports that “vegetation and crops at the beginning of the 2023 growing season have not been significantly affected yet, the current situation may become critical in the coming months if temperature and precipitation anomalies persists in spring.”

One way of alleviating the impact of drought on our water supply and more specifically agriculture, is water reuse. With this webinar, Water Reuse Europe and Water Europe – through the expertise of its Working Group on Water and Sustainable Agrifood Systems – are bringing together experts in the agricultural water reuse sector from across Europe, to discuss the status of water reuse through examples of good practices, the challenges faced to comply with the EU Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2020/741) on minimum requirements for water reuse coming into force on the 23rd of June 2023, and opportunities to further encourage circular approaches in the agricultural sector.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Water professionals, developers, industry leaders, solution providers, technology suppliers, policy makers, researchers, end-users, and consultants involved in or with an interest for water reuse.

FEES
The event is free to attend. However to help us manage attendance levels, please complete our online registration form by clicking on the registration button below.

REGISTRATION
Register here

PROGRAMME

14:00 14:05 Welcome and introduction

Marie Raffin, Director and Chairperson of the Water Reuse Europe Board of Directors.

Andrea Rubini, Director of Operations, Water Europe.

14:05 14:25 Roberta Maffettone

Scientific Project Officer, Joint Research Center, European Comission, Italy.

14:25 14:45 Francesco Fatone

Professor of Chemical-Environmental Engineering, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy.

Water reuse risk management plans and digitalization: case studies in Italy.

Water reuse risk management plans (WRRMPs) are the key to adapt monitoring and management strategies to the local conditions and value chains. A proper combination of digitalization and conventional approach may optimize the risk management, even considering the Water-Energy-Food-Carbon nexus. The presentation will report case studies related to EU-funded projects Digital Water City, WATERUN and FIT4REUSE, while presenting a first full scale WRRMP in an Italian system.

14:45 15:05 Maria Nikolopoulou

Environmental Engineer, EYDAP SA, Greece.

Master plan of water reuse schemes and challenges in the Eastern Attica Region, Greece.
The region of East Attica in Greece faces stress on its water supply, caused mainly by agricultural activities and tourism in the summer. Thus, a master plan for effluent reuse from Eastern Attica’s wastewater treatment plants was carried out to identify best practices for water reclamation from municipal wastewater and to define the areas where reclaimed water may be applied. In particular, two major wastewater reuse projects in the East Attica region (Rafina/Artemida and Marathon agglomerations) were approved for co-financing by the European Union (EU) Cohesion funds and implementation by the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company (EYDAP S.A.). Whilst being compliant with the 91/271/E.E.C – Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD), the schemes need to produce treated wastewater effluents that comply with the Greek standards for unlimited irrigation and urban reuse (Joint Ministerial Decision 145116/2011). Furthermore, another wastewater project, co-financed with EU funds (beneficiary: Attica Prefecture) involving the non-compliant agglomerations of Koropi and Paiania, is being upgraded with advanced tertiary treatment that will also produce reclaimed water suitable for aquifer recharge to restore the water quality of groundwater bodies. In parallel, a comprehensive feasibility study shall be carried out to address key issues for successful water reuse implementation according to national and EU regulations (EU 2020/741) in the East Attica region.

15:05 15:10 Comfort break.
15:10 15:30 Attilio Toscano

Professor of Agricultural Hydraulics and Watershed Protection, University of Bologna, Italy.

Stevo Lavrnić

Senior Assistant Professor, University of Bologna, Italy.

Smart experimental platform to evaluate the effects of crops irrigation with treated wastewater.
Treated wastewater is an important resource that can mitigate negative effects of water scarcity and reduce use of artificial fertilisers, therefore increasing overall circularity and sustainability of the agricultural production. However, it is important to assess effects that this practice can have. A smart experimental platform in Italy, in Emilia-Romagna region, offers a closer view on these aspects. The ferti/irrigation is controlled by a central unit able to measure and integrate the load of nutrients administered to the plants (i.e. tomato and peach). Moreover, the UNIBO researchers are assessing the effect of treated wastewater on soil and crop quality.

15:30 15:50 Speaker TBC.
15:50 16:00 Final Discussion

Concluding remarks and close.
Marie Raffin / Andrea Rubini

Venue

Online