Dear reader,

As the year winds down and the holidays approach, we’re excited to bring you the sixth edition of the UPWATER newsletter! The past months have been filled with significant progress, inspiring collaborations, and impactful results that we are proud to share with you.

In this edition, you’ll find highlights of our latest activities, updates on our ongoing work, announcements of upcoming events and insights into the pioneering work of three project partners. Plus, we’re sharing news from our partners and the ZeroPollution4Water Cluster. So, dive in and stay up-to-date!

This fall, the UPWATER project team has been actively engaging with key events and stakeholders across Europe. We kicked off in Denmark with a general meeting on September 9-10, hosted by Aarhus University, bringing together the UPWATER consortium to discuss progress and strategies. The following day, a stakeholder event focusing on Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) was held in collaboration with the Multisource and Nature projects at Stengaarden. Later that month, on September 24, the fourth internal ZeroPollution4Water Cluster meeting explored synergies and gaps between cluster projects, emphasizing innovation pathways. (Read more about this Cluster below.) The CIAS Conference in Galicia, Spain, followed on September 25-27, where UPWATER's Barcelona team members presented updates on the Besòs Case Study, sparking discussions on groundwater management. Moving into November, UPWATER showcased its innovative Ceramic Passive Samplers at the Smart City World Congress in Barcelona, strengthening its visibility among global stakeholders. Finally, the team concluded this busy period at the 24th European Meeting on Environmental Chemistry (EMEC) in Alicante, presenting cutting-edge methods for water quality monitoring and continuing to lead advancements in sustainable water management. Want to stay updated on all our activities? Follow UPWATER on LinkedIn!

The UPWATER project has made significant progress across multiple work packages and case studies. A first success to celebrate: the Validation Report on Passive Monitoring Devices and Pathogens Monitoring Methods (Deliverable 2.4) was submitted at the end of September. A second achievement is the development of the SOUPY code by IDAEA-CSIC, a groundbreaking tool for groundwater source apportionment that outperforms previous methods like MIX. With enhanced capacity to analyze larger datasets, more observation points, and advanced analytical methods, SOUPY, implemented as a Python API, is poised to become an indispensable tool for researchers and environmental professionals. In the 3 Case Studies, the new source apportionment code is being utilized alongside the ongoing development and calibration of groundwater models, with results to be submitted in January 2025.

In Denmark, the Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) pilot has successfully removed pesticides from polluted groundwater to levels below the EU drinking water limit of 100 ng/L, even as it undergoes testing in colder conditions. Meanwhile, in Spain, the NBS pilot treating secondary wastewater has shown over 80% removal efficiency for emerging pollutants, meeting proposed European Urban Wastewater Directive standards, with preparations underway for winter testing. Monitoring of micropollutants continues across all case study sites, ensuring comprehensive data collection.

Kai Bester and Andrea Mongelli in front of the innovative NBS in Stengaarden, Denmark

Stakeholder engagement has also been a priority in UPWATER. Two focus groups with local end users were held in the Besòs area: one with industrial associations discussing preventive measures for groundwater contamination linked to economic activities, and another with environmental researchers and NGOs, exploring challenges and solutions for protecting the Besòs delta aquifer. These events have provided valuable insights that guide our efforts to protect groundwater in the Besòs delta aquifer and the other two case study areas.

We are excited to announce the launch of Pioneer Portraits, a new article series showcasing the inspiring individuals behind the UPWATER project. This series highlights the roles, motivations, and contributions of our project partners, bringing a personal touch to the innovative work happening in the project. Discover the first two Portraits, by clicking on the names below!

Water Knowledge Europe Event
10-12 December 2024 | Brussels, Belgium
The WKE event offers a unique opportunity to explore future funding options through Horizon Europe. This year’s edition will focus on advancing water innovation, providing attendees with crucial insights into the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027, and offering practical guidance for building strong project consortia tailored to the water sector. 

Workshop H2OforAll project
10 December 2024 | Online  
Gain insights into Disinfection by-products (DBP) prevention strategies, hear from global experts, and join interactive discussions that will help us in creating a Water Smart Society. Learn from speakers from Water Europe, the Universidade de Coimbra, the The University of Sheffield, the Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA) and many many more. 

Today in the spotlight: Evgeny Bulatov, postdoctoral researcher and innovation manager at the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC).

In UPWATER, I manage the development of the Ceramic Passive Samplers (CPS) and their implementation in the water industry. My responsibilities include laboratory based research and development of the samplers, as well as market research and communication with the potential users. Aligning our research with the industry needs, we aim to create a spin-off company to enable the widespread industrial adoption of CPS to help protecting and restoring water resources in the face of the global chemical pollution and the climate change.

Ceramic Passive Sampler is the proprietary technology of CSIC (Spain), developed through a collaboration between IDAEA-CSIC (Barcelona) and INMA-CSIC (Zaragoza). It provides a cost-effective and precise method for analyzing organic contaminants like pharmaceuticals and pesticides) in water. CPS have been previously applied to monitor rivers and effluents from water treatment plants. Within the UPWATER project, CPS play an important role in assessing water quality, with a particular focus on the groundwater monitoring.

Ceramic Passive Sampler (CPS)

The ZP4W Cluster is an initiative that originated from the coalition of seven different water projects, all funded from two Horizon Europe 2022 calls. The cluster aims at creating further collaboration and synergy between the sister project, developing co-operation actions with other projects running and future projects and other initiatives, such as co-funded and co-programmed partnerships. 

We keep you updated about the cluster activiteis via the ZeroPollution4Water website and the LinkedIn page of the cluster!

We are thrilled to announce the opening of the call for projects to join our ZP4W Cluster!

Why join? As a member of the ZP4W Cluster, you will benefit from:
✅ Collaboration with industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers
✅ Resources to support your project’s development and implementation
✅ Platforms to showcase your innovations to key stakeholders
✅ A dedicated community committed to preserving our most vital resource

Who can apply? This call is open to projects focused on:
🔹 (Ground)water contamination prevention
🔹 Sustainable (drinking) water solutions
🔹 Innovative water monitoring and management technologies
🔹 Awareness campaigns to promote water conservation

UPwater is an EU Horizon project. It focusses on Understanding groundwater Pollution to protect
and enhance WATERquality. Read more about the project and our project partners on our website.