Discover the essence of Water Europe: driving innovation, fostering connections, and promoting sustainable water management for a prosperous and water-smart society.
The story of Water Europe, initially known as the Water Supply and Sanitation Technology Platform (WssTP), begins in 2004, when it was established by the European Commission as a European Technology Platform (ETP) to confront water-related challenges across the continent. This initiative took a significant leap forward in 2007 when it evolved into a member-driven, multi-stakeholder platform. This transformation marked a pivotal shift, widening its impact and reinforcing its foundational mission of securing a sustainable water future.
Continuing its evolution, the organisation changed its name from WssTP to Water Europe in 2019, marking a new period in which the name of the organisation captured the essense of its mission as the recognised voice and promoter of water-related innovation, research, and technology development in Europe.
With a focus on the entire water value chain, Water Europe advocates for building a water secure, sustainable, and resilient, Water-Smart Society across Europe and beyond.
Explore our water vision: a blueprint for a future where innovative, sustainable water management propels Europe towards water resilience.
Water Europe strives to achieve a Water-Smart Society in which:
Our commitment to a Water-Smart Society is about more than just managing resources; it’s about building a future where the value of water is fully acknowledged and leveraged for the greater good of our society, economy and our environment.
Embracing a Water-Smart Society, Water Europe is committed to turning water challenges into impactful opportunities. Our vision harnesses the power of innovation through five key concepts:
Circular Water: Our approach redefines how we use water, focusing on mining the value in water and maximizing circularity to ensure every drop is fully utilized.
Multiple Waters: By tapping into a variety of water sources, including rainwater, groundwater, surface water and recycled water, we’re building a more adaptable and sustainable water ecosystem.
Digital Water: Our management of water is being revolutionized by technology, enabling real-time tracking and data-driven decisions for optimal use of water.
Inclusive Water: Our aim is to engage all voices in the water community for sustainable governance. By valuing everyone’s input, we seek to create a cooperative atmosphere in which we shape Europe’s water future together.
Resilient Water: Our goal is to craft water infrastructures that are both durable and adaptable, integrating grey and green solutions ready to withstand floods and water scarcity exacerbated by climate change and maintain the functionality of the water system.
Guided by these five innovation concepts, we aim for a future emphasising water sustainability, security, and resilience, with a focus on efficient and inclusive practices.
At Water Europe we are committed by our vision to build a Water-Smart Society. Our commitment is based on the following guiding principles:
Collaborative approach: We believe in the power of networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration across the entire water value chain. Our efforts are geared towards addressing common challenges and developing groundbreaking solutions.
Societal responsibility: We embrace a holistic approach in addressing the water challenges that benefit society at large.
Evidence-based and technology-neutral approach: We focus on results, and our activities are driven by the latest research, broad expertise available in the pool of the Water Europe community, and the outcomes of EU research and innovation projects.
Financially and economically sustainable approach: We believe in solutions and approaches that encompass a good balance between their cost and the societal, economic and environmental value that they generate.
Ambitious and pragmatic approach: We are ambitious in our objectives and pragmatic when it comes to the implementation and execution of every single step that can lead to achieving our vision for a Water-Smart Society.
The strategy of Water Europe is driven by the ambition to achieve a Water-Smart Society and provide services to members.
This programme encourages networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration across the entire water value chain. It addresses common challenges and fosters the development of new solutions through collaborative research and innovation.
This programme helps our members turn their research and ideas into real-world solutions. Through the WE Marketplace and Water-Oriented Living Labs (WOLLs), we provide platforms for showcasing, testing, and deploying transformative water-related solutions and approaches, accelerating the journey of innovation from concept to market.
This programme aims to increase the understanding and appreciation of the Value of Water for our society, economy, and biodiversity. We advocate for an ambitious and innovative water-related policy based on our values and supported by the outcomes of EU-funded research projects.
The programmes are supported by the following three enabling range of activities:
Join Water Europe to collaborate, innovate, and address water challenges! Be part of the solution and shape the future of water.
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