What is the main focus of your Expert Group?
The Water Efficiency, Reuse and Circularity Expert Group is intended to drive innovation, policy influence, and collaboration by promoting water efficiency, advancing reuse practices, and fostering circular economy approaches. It aims to exploit synergies within the group to co-develop R&D initiatives, actively engage with the European Commission to stay ahead of policy developments, exert strategic influence, and amplify the impact of projects and initiatives within the EG by promoting its initiatives under the Water Europe umbrella.
What are the opportunities and challenges in your field that the Expert group is addressing?
The Expert Group identifies a range of opportunities and challenges in advancing water-efficient and circular practices. On the opportunity side, innovative projects and initiatives within the Group’s focus areas are emerging as best practice models, offering scalable solutions for broader implementation. These initiatives provide valuable insights that can inform EU policy, promoting the uptake of sustainable water management approaches. Additionally, collaboration with other Expert Groups and platforms such as CIRSEAU and Water Reuse Europe enhances synergies across the innovation ecosystem. However, several challenges persist. The uneven implementation of EU policies at the national level limits their real-world effectiveness, underlining the need for stronger support mechanisms and strategic alignment. Furthermore, current regulatory and economic frameworks often fail to incentivize the adoption of circular and efficient water practices. The sector’s complexity, compounded by limited resources, poses coordination challenges that hinder the Group’s ability to maximize collective impact. Lastly, the fundamental role of water in ensuring human well-being, ecological balance, and economic resilience remains underestimated—calling for more coherent and strategic funding to reflect its critical importance.
How does your Expert Group plan to achieve its goals, and how will it contribute to Water Europe’s Vision of a Water-Smart Society?
To drive meaningful progress, the Expert Group aims to build a collaborative space that unites utilities, researchers, SMEs, large industries, and public authorities. Central to its mission is promoting a compelling narrative that recognises water not merely as a resource or common good, but as a vital element for life, ecosystem health, and long-term economic sustainability. The Group is committed to enhancing the visibility of its projects, members, and success stories at major events such as the IWA Congress and Water Innovation Europe. To foster mutual learning and stakeholder empowerment, it organises thematic meetings, field visits, and cross-sectoral workshops that advance the application of water efficiency and circularity principles. The Group also engages directly with relevant EU Directorates and contributes to policy consultations to ensure its outputs are aligned with EU directives and effectively support key policy frameworks. Furthermore, by producing expert reports, white papers, and technical briefs, the Group offers best practices, standard methodologies, and actionable policy recommendations. Finally, it seeks to catalyse Horizon Europe and other EU-funded collaborative projects by leveraging cross-sectoral expertise and synergies with other Water Europe Expert Groups, thereby amplifying both impact and innovation uptake.
