Water Projects Europe: Water & Health: Addressing Water Quality for Public Health

In today’s world, the importance of water and its impact on public health cannot be overstated. The United Nations Water Conference has emphasized the significance of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6) and the urgent need for action. In line with this global agenda, the European Union institutions have been actively financing various projects aimed at addressing water quality concerns, including drinking water safety, emerging contaminants, and the implementation of nature-based solutions in urban areas.

Water Project Europe (WPE) is a series of events of Water Europe made to learn from and build on the experience of innovating projects working on converging topics. WPE aims at clustering water-related projects by thematic areas to allow them to interact, mutually build on the respective experience, support policy development, and stimulate the market uptake of innovations.

This edition of WPE is sponsored by the project Contamination Emergency Response Technologies (PathoCERT) which objective is to increase the ability of first responders to rapidly detect waterborne pathogens and ensure collaboration and coordination between the different actors during an emergency event. To achieve this, PathoCERT which is a H2020 funded project, brings together universities, research organisations, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises, first responders, and water utility operators to collaborate and operate in five European cities: Granada (Spain), Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Limassol (Cyprus), Thessaloniki (Greece), Sofia, (Bulgaria), and Seoul (South Korea).

The associated projects to this WPE offering their view and experience are ToDrinq, H204All, and intoDBP, which are also member of the recently created ZeroPollution4Water Cluster.

ToDrinQ is a Horizon Europe-funded project that aims at developing a toolkit of technologies, systems and decision tools that will improve overall water systems operations and secure high quality drinking water.

H2OforAll is an ambitious Horizon Europe-funded project that aims to assess main Disinfection By products (DBPs) sources through the development of fast, cost-effective and accurate sensor monitoring devices and by modelling their spread through drinking water distribution systems.

intoDBP aims to create innovative tools and strategies to improve water quality management for safe human use and a healthy environment.

The Water Projects Europe Workshop will serve as a platform to delve into the key findings and recommendations of the above cited projects. It offers a unique opportunity to explore how these initiatives can complement and support one another in achieving the shared goal of ensuring water quality and safeguarding public health.

Additionally, WPE will feature the launch of the new white paper from the Water & Health Working Group. This document will provide valuable insights, recommendations, and guidelines on addressing water-related health challenges. It will serve as a comprehensive resource for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners seeking to enhance water quality standards and protect public health. The paper will be presented by the leadership of the WG and other experts of the WG.

By bringing together experts and stakeholders in the field of water and health, this workshop aims to accelerate progress towards achieving SDG6 and improving water quality for the well-being of communities worldwide. It offers a unique opportunity to collectively address challenges, share experiences, and contribute to the development of sustainable solutions.

We look forward to your participation in the Water Projects Europe Workshop as we work towards ensuring a healthier future through effective water management and the promotion of public health for a Water-Smart Society.