The collaborative effort developed by 15 projects

Each project includes a set of case studies at different locations and focuses on specific challenges related to drinking water or groundwater management.

The ZP4W Cluster works to relate them to foster new cross-cutting knowledge across America, Europe and Africa.

Founding projects

Innovative tools to control organic matter and disinfection byproducts in drinking water.

The intoDBP project, funded by the EU, focuses on disinfection by-products (DBPs) formed during water chlorination. It develops innovative tools for water quality management, emphasizing cost-effective sensors and analytical methods. intoDBP aims to understand DBP precursors, address pollution and risks, and promote sustainable consumer behavior. The project engages society through surveys, contributes to climate change adaptation, and enhances water treatment.

Understanding groundwater Pollution to protect and enhance WATERquality.

The UPWATER project addresses the widespread issue of groundwater pollution by identifying effective regulatory and legislative preventive measures and by developing cost-efficient methods to measure pollutants, identify their sources and to mitigate the pollution. UPWATER focuses on the validation of these methods in three case studies in different EU climates and aims to develop hydrogeological models for decision-making scenarios, considering multiple stressors and climate change projections. Expected outcomes include the adoption of preventive measures, scaled-up bio-based solutions and updated chemical priority lists.

TOolkit for aDaptable, Resilient INstallations securing high Quality drinking water

The ToDrinQ project addresses the impact of climate change and increased pollution on drinking water quality. The project aims to develop real-time water quality monitoring technologies and innovative treatment systems, along with interoperable decision tools. These efforts support evidence-based treatment plant design and enhance operational awareness and response in the overall water system.

Innovative Integrated Tools and Technologies to Protect and Treat Drinking Water from Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs)

The H2OforAll project focuses on disinfection by-products (DBPs) that result from the interaction of disinfectants like chlorine with natural organic materials in water. It aims to develop cost-effective DBP sensor monitoring devices, model contaminant spread, study toxicity and environmental impact, and propose safeguarding measures for the drinking water chain. The project also works on innovative water treatment methods to remove or prevent DBPs, and it aims to create a central knowledge base with reliable data on DBPs in Europe and their effects.

Preventing groundwater contamination related to global and climate change through a holistic approach on managed aquifer recharge

MAR2PROTECT project confronts groundwater contamination resulting from climate change and global changes, with a focus on sustainable water management to meet zero pollution goals by 2030. It employs an innovative managed aquifer recharge (MAR) approach, utilizing the M-AI-R Decision Support System (DSS) that incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) to assess and enhance groundwater quality and quantity..

Climate-resilient management for safe disinfected and non-disinfected water supply systems

SafeCREW project addresses the challenge of supplying safe drinking water in the face of climate change. It aims to develop new methods for monitoring, treatment, and risk assessment, particularly in disinfection and organic substance removal, safeguarding water quality

Taking action to prevent and mitigate pollution of groundwater bodies

NINFA project confronts groundwater pollution by developing an early-warning decision support system and knowledge database, the NINFA Platform. This innovation enhances groundwater management by expanding knowledge on water flows and the behavior of emerging contaminants like pharmaceuticals and microplastics, safeguarding this vital resource.

New projects guidelines to join the cluster!

Do you run a project related to water pollution and want to join the ZP4W Cluster?

Check the cluster strategy and fill the application form to join!

The Cluster accepts spontaneous applications: you can submit yours by sending the form to collaboration@watereurope.eu

New projects

Monitoring and tackling drinking water pollution, promoting global health and sustainability

NIAGARA is a ground-breaking initiative that addresses the monitoring of chemical and biological pollution in drinking water at the drinking water treatment plants level, new technologies for their removal, their associated potential toxicological effects, and the prediction of their spread and human exposition. It also develops a detailed characterization of these solutions and while assessing risks and sustainability associated with its future scaling. Finally, recommendations at the policy level will also be targeted.

Circular economy applied to nitrate removal hydrogen generation and waste recovery in drinking water

Nitrate pollution in surface and groundwater represents a prevalent and challenging issue for numerous European Union (EU) member states. The primary objective of this project is to develop an industrial-scale electrochemical denitrification technology for the removal of nitrate from underground waters and concentrated effluent streams (brines). This process will facilitate the recovery of industrial interest ionic compounds and a hydrogen stream suitable for energy applications. The technology will be implemented within a mobile pilot plant, validated in three distinct locations with high nitrate concentrations (two in Spain and Malta).