project

DEMOWARE

Europe’s capacity to respond to the growing water stress through the reuse of water is being held back by a number of barriers: limited public trust in the solutions, inconsistent cost-benefit analysis approaches to water reuse, and poor coordination among experts and the organisations that develop, implement and manage water reuse systems.

The DEMOWARE initiative aims to overcome these barriers by focusing on the stimulation of innovation and improvement of cohesion regarding water reuse in the European water sector. DEMOWARE has two central ambitions: to enhance the availability and reliability of innovative water reuse solutions, and create a unified professional identity for the European water reuse sector.

Focus group meeting on water reuse with citizens of Sabadell (Spain).

Focus group meeting on water reuse with citizens of Sabadell (Spain).

Governance research

DEMOWARE conducts research into the development of innovative technologies and monitoring, environmental and health risks, market opportunities and access to financing, and governance for water reuse. KWR coordinates the governance research concerning policy, legal and regulatory frameworks, and citizen engagement and stakeholder collaboration. Focus group meetings are used to discuss the citizens’ perceptions of water reuse.

Creating market opportunities for water reuse

DEMOWARE strengthens (public) trust in water reuse. Project outcomes provide direction for the development of a new water reuse project in the Vendée (WP6). The establishment of a European Water Reuse Association ensures that DEMOWARE creates market opportunities for European solutions-oriented suppliers, while building an environment for the validation and benchmarking of technologies and tools. Ultimately, water reuse should be promoted without endangering public health or environmental integrity.