Water in the Circular Economy (WiCE)

Eighty-percent of the activities of the water utilities have to do with society, new techniques and other stakeholders. WiCE’s central task is the investigation and resolution of challenges at the interface of water and societal agendas.  The collective research programme produces insights into the most important societal challenges and the role that the water sector plays in meeting them. We want to actively propagate the outcomes of WiCE research within the water utilities, but also beyond.

Learn more about the WiCE approach in the ROND water magazine.

Integrated problems require integrated solutions

The WiCE programme supports the water sector in the joint search for solutions that contribute to a sustainable and resilient society. To assist the partners in the transition challenges concerning water availability, climate change, the energy provision and the circular economy, WiCE develops knowledge about systems, transitions and values. WiCE projects are directed at issues that are linked to various domains, such as water, energy and raw materials. The need for integrated solutions means that the solutions are developed as a result of an integrated approach, which is reflected in WiCE’s five lines of research up to 2029.

WiCE work method

WiCE seeks to identify the needs in society and then translates them into the appropriate research questions. The clients are closely involved in the process, in which the collaboration between and with the various relevant disciplines is essential. We thus stand close to both society and science. We work primarily with people who are occupied with the big picture of the water provision and with the role of water utilities in a changing society. People who realise that the large and complex challenges that we face demand an integrated manner of working as well as collaboration outside one’s own sector. Working together in the search for solutions. Examples of WiCE projects include:

• Circular Water 2050, routes towards a circular water chain.
• Aqua Ludens, serious game results in engaged stakeholders.
• Energy-transition acceleration with aquathermia.

Everyone is welcome to participate

The growing number of projects within WiCE reflects the urgent demand for smart solutions focussed on circular water. Take a look at the overview of the WiCE projects.

Are you faced with an issue that is in line with WiCE, and would you like to tackle it jointly with parties within and outside the water sector? Then feel free to contact (030-6069658) or (030-6069626), so that we can explore together what WiCE can do for you.  

ROND Water is the WiCE magazine about water in the circular economy 

In WiCE, the drinking water utilities, the branch association Vewin and KWR work with partners in and around the water chain in the areas of water availability, climate change, the energy provision and the circular economy. They collaborate at several levels: from local to national and, where appropriate, international. WiCE’s central task is the investigation and resolution of challenges at the interface of water and societal agendas. The collective research programme produces insights into the most important societal challenges and the role that the water sector plays in meeting them. In 2024, ROND water, the WiCE magazine about water and the circular economy, was first published. 

Five lines of research up to 2029 

The transition to a sustainable society requires integrated solutions. WiCE projects therefore concentrate on issues that are linked to various domains, such as water, energy and raw materials. Furthermore, research projects within WiCE deal with the development of the three types of knowledge required to bring about a sustainable society. These are:

• Systemic knowledge, which is mostly knowledge about technical solutions at the interface of water, climate, energy and raw materials, and their impact on major transitions in society.
• Normative knowledge, which relates to the needs of different parties, balancing social values and the desired direction of change.
• Transition knowledge, which is knowledge about how to achieve changes in practice.

These types of knowledge are themselves reflected in all five of the WiCE lines of research, which are:

• Line of research 1. Transition and normative knowledge development.
• Line of research 2. Robust freshwater provision in conjunction with the water governance system.
• Line of research 3. Sustainable use and processing of raw materials and products, chemicals in residuals in the water chain in synergy with the built environment, industry and agrifood.
• Line of research 4. Climate-neutral water and energy provision, and sustainable existence of water and energy functions.
• Line of research 5. Model-based systemic thinking for circularity, sustainability and robustness.

Circular Water 2050, routes towards a circular water chain

An important finding of the Circular Water 2050 project concerns the legacy period in which the expansion of drinking-water and wastewater treatment processes is inescapable if the utilities are to continue fulfilling their core tasks. However, the expansion of treatment processes is undesirable because end-of-pipe solutions are not compatible with a circular economy. Systemic change – Refuse, Reduce and Redesign measures – are needed to sustain water management over the long term. Read more in ROND water magazine, page 28

Aqua Ludens, serious game results in engaged stakeholders 

Serious gaming is a means of getting stakeholders to jointly discuss complex subjects like the water transition. With the serious game Aqua Ludens, an approach has been developed to bring stakeholders together and give them a chance to stand in each other’s shoes, thus gaining more insight into the respective challenges they face. This creates greater understanding of everyone’s interests in the distribution of water. Both the joint development as well as the playing of the serious game about water offer stakeholders the opportunity to explore issues and solutions concerning the future of the water system. Aqua Ludens was developed within WiCE to address how the Province of Groningen can achieve a sustainably structured freshwater provision. The various functions of freshwater – as drinking water, and in industry, agriculture and nature – need to be coordinated. In game sessions organised in the province, the participants were able to talk to each other in an easily accessible way about the regional water system. Aqua Ludens can of course also be played beyond Groningen.  

Energy-transition acceleration with aquathermia 

In its National Climate Agreement, the Dutch government made commitments to reducing CO₂ emissions. When it comes to enhancing the sustainability of homes, it is the heat demand of existing homes that accounts by far for the biggest share of total energy demand. Aquathermia – heat and cold from water – is one of the alternatives for the sustainable heating and cooling of existing homes and districts. In this project the drinking water utilities and KWR work together with a variety of partners, including  the Association of Water Authorities, Rijkswaterstaat, consultancies, Stichting WarmteNetwerk, and the Energy and Resources Factory.

You can read about many more projects in ROND water, the WiCE magazine about the Water in the Circular Economy programme.