Launch of Fiware4Water: digital solutions for water

On 10 June 2019, Waternet and KWR, together with twelve European partners, launched the Fiware4Water project. This three-year European research and innovation project, coordinated by the French Office International de l’Eau, links the water sector to the smart solution platform ‘FIWARE’ via demonstration projects in the water cycle. FIWARE makes it possible to combine and process various data streams, such as water quality and meteorological information, into a standardised output. The water sector can then use this output, for instance, to improve operational management, create maps and build AI systems. Waternet and KWR will do their research for Fiware4Water in a treatment line at the Amsterdam-West wastewater treatment plant.

FIWARE

FIWARE is an open-source IT platform, created under the Future Internet Public Private Partnership (FI-PPP) which was established by the European Commission in 2011. Since its creation, FIWARE has evolved to become a community of software developers, research and innovation organisations, cities, SMEs and start-ups. Projects have already been carried out with FIWARE in other sectors, including health, energy and transport. The connection of the water sector to the FIWARE platform will contribute to the application of innovative digital solutions. In particular, FIWARE will make it possible to combine and process various data streams, such as water quality and meteorological information, into a standardised output. This will make it easier to share and use applications and data originating in the water sector.

Waternet and KWR demonstration project

Within Fiware4Water, KWR and Waternet are jointly responsible for the development of data-driven methods in FIREWARE. The new methods will aim to optimise wastewater treatment plant operational management, so as to reduce energy consumption and emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas N2O (laughing gas). This part of the project will be carried out at Waternet’s wastewater treatment plant in Amsterdam West. One of the plant’s seven treatment lines will be set up as a research line, and be equipped with new sensors to enable the process improvements. Other Fiware4Water demonstration projects in Athens, Cannes and Cranbrook (UK) will also deliver applications for different parts of the water cycle.

Three-year collaboration

Fiware4Water runs from 1 June 2019 until 31 May 2022. The consortium consists of FIWARE staff, ICT experts, representatives of the water sector and business development experts. The project’s budget amounts to € 5.7 million, of which € 5 million is funded by the European Commission through its Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.