Dear reader,

As we have worked actively in the first two months of 2025, we’re excited to bring you the seventh 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 (stakeholder) events and insights into the pioneering work of two project partners. Plus, we’re sharing news from our partners and the ZeroPollution4Water Cluster. So, dive in and stay up-to-date!

On February 8 and 9, UPWATER and the H2OforAll project took part in 'Water: an unfiltered exhibition' at the Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona. With around 𝟮𝟬𝟬 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 stopping by our stand, this two-day event was a great opportunity to engage with the public - especially children - on the importance of clean, uncontaminated water. Interested to know how we engaged the next generation in water sustainibility?

The UPWATER project continues to make significant strides in understanding and enhancing groundwater quality.
In Barcelona, we have completed the sixth and final monitoring campaign. While data analysis is still ongoing, early findings reveal persistent pollution in the Besòs River and aquifer, including industrial and agricultural chemicals as well as contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) associated with urban activity.

In Athens, we have developed a self-sufficient, energy-powered Nature-Based Solution (NBS) system, operational since November. Designed to improve the treatment of wastewater for the city, the system runs entirely on renewable energy, combining solar power with a hydropower component. Our Greek partner, NTUA, will present a pitch and poster on these developments at the AquaTech event in Amsterdam on March 12.

Meanwhile, in Denmark, we are optimizing pollutant removal by testing different flow rates on the biofilter. Ceramic passive samplers (CPS) and Diffusive Gradients in Thin Films (DGT) have been deployed at the site, and we are now analyzing the results. We aim to present the findings from the CPS at the ICEE 2025 event (see upcoming events below).

We are also refining strategies for scaling up nature-based solutions and mitigation measures. Insights from lab and pilot studies, along with continuous risk assessments, are shaping these strategies while informing governance and policy recommendations. UPWATER’s Deliverable D6.2: Report on Governance and Policy Options is now available on our website!

Stakeholder engagement remains a key priority, with an upcoming inauguration event at the pilot sites in Athens and Barcelona, as well as participatory workshops across all case studies. The exact dates of these events for local stakeholders will be communicated soon. 

Stay up-to-date: Follow UPWATER on LinkedIn!

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 team members, bringing a personal touch to the innovative work happening in the project. Discover these two Portraits, by clicking on the names below!

Water Projects Europe at AquaTech
12 March 2025 | RAI, Amsterdam  
At this event, the EU funded water projects IDEATION and WATERVERSE will showcase their work. These projects are at the forefront of digitalization and innovation in water management. The event will focus on a unified, interoperable digital twin of the hydrosphere, which can be facilitated by the creation of an ecosystem for efficient Water Data Management.

UPWATER at AquaTech Netherlands
12 March 2025 | Amsterdam, Netherlands
UPWATER will showcase progress from the Greek Case Study site at AquaTech, the international water event in Amsterdam. Our project partner, NTUA, will deliver a 30-minute pitch, and we will present a poster highlighting the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions at the Greek site.

Webinar BIODAPH2O and UPWATER
24 April 2025 | Online
Together with the BIODAPH2O project, we host a webinar on Nature-Based Solutions to improve water quality. Specifically, we focus on the steps from lab to pilot scale, and from pilot scale to wider implementation. What challenges do we face? What lessons did we learn? Experts on our projects will share with you their knowledge and provide insights into their case studies.

19th International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment
8-12 June, 2025 | Belgrade, Serbia  
The goal of ICCE 2025 is to jointly contribute to a better understanding of pollutants’ cycling, and their fate and effects in the environment, while advancing pollution prevention and waste management. The event will provide an excellent platform for networking, exchange and collaboration. It offers a unique opportunity to share and discuss research not only within the research community but also with industry professionals and competent authorities.

Today in the spotlight: Nil Caballero, PhD student at MAiMA, Faculty of Earth Sciences at the University of Barcelona (UB).

My doctoral thesis is focused on applying compound specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) to identify contamination sources and degradation pathways. I am supervised by Dr. Clara Torrentó and Dr. Rafaela Nascimento from MAiMA. As part of the UPWATER project, I am developing analytical methodologies to enable the extraction of CECs from water bodies at field scale and ensure reliable CSIA of CECs at trace concentrations.
In the coming months, my work will be focused on the extraction of CECs from well and river samples in Sant Adrià del Besòs, as well as from water treatment plant wetlands in Montcada i Reixac, using solid-phase extraction (SPE) methods. Additionally, Ceramic Passive Samplers (CPS) will be tested as an alternative to SPE. The extracted samples will then be analysed using CSIA to investigate changes in the isotope signatures of target CECs.

The MAiMA team has the experience and the necessary infrastructure for applying isotopic tools to study the sources and fate of a wide range of pollutants and is also expert in applying isotopic tools to determine the efficacy of remediation strategies (denitrification, monitored natural attenuation, in-situ chemical oxidation, etc.) at laboratory and field scales. CSIA is a method that enables conclusive identification of contaminant sources and provides direct evidence of degradation even in the absence of detection of transformation products, or if the transformation products are unknown. Regarding the UPWATER project, CSIA will play a crucial role, as changes in isotope signatures could offer strong proof of contaminant degradation and its pathways in groundwater and river samples.

Nil taking water samples
at the pilot plant in the
Besòs Case Study (Montcada i Reixac)

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 projects, developing co-operation actions with other projects running and future projects and other initiatives, such as co-funded and co-programmed partnerships. Until the 31st of March 2025, new projects can join the ZP4W Cluster! Find out below why you should join, who can apply and how to apply!

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

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

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.