WORKING GROUPS
Working Groups are the operational level for members’ collaboration and coordination in WE. They are fully member-driven, the backbone of our WE community that provides technical and scientific inputs on a series of themes that voice the water-related challenges, needs and opportunities of each respective field at a European level.
Their formal recognition depends on a bi-annual Work Plan and an Annual Report to be delivered in the context of the Water Innovation Europe conference. Water Europe facilitates their operation by a number of supportive actions, including the hosting of physical meetings 3 times per year back to back with our main events, representation of WE at European and international conferences etc.
2022-2023 Working Groups MATRIX
2021-2014 Working Groups Leadership
Water Sensors and Tools WG
The main scope of this Working Group is to improve R&D activities on innovative sensors, explore all future applications and goals that new smart meters can offer to water utilities and to develop tools, best practices, software and devices. Water and Sensors WG also aims at identifying future trends in the sector, contributing to enhancing water services and solving water-related global challenges according to the Water Europe (WE) Vision.
Digital Water Systems and Interoperability WG
The scope of this Working Group is to contribute to the creation of a Water Data Space in the context of the European Data Spaces by contributing to the relevant initiatives around data sharing and standardization from a water data perspective; liaising with key entities in the area; encouraging the creation of project proposals in that direction, as well as disseminating reference implementations and APIs.

Armando
Di Nardo
Water Sensors and Tools WG Leader
MedHydro

Jordi
Cros Herrero
Water Sensors and Tools WG Co-leader
Adasa Sistemas

Eloisa
Vargiu
Digital Water Systems and Interoperability WG Leader
CETAQUA

Roberto
di Bernardo
Digital Water Systems and Interoperability WG Co-leader
Engineering SRL
Water & Human Capital WG
The scope of the WG Human Capital is to create sensitivity within the water sector to the human factor at a European level and position the European water sector as a reference by defining a common agenda, creating opportunities and demonstrating its level of expertise. With the changing profile of the water sector due to technical innovations, climate change and societal changes, there is a growing need to create more insight knowledge and collaboration programmes to ensure a future-proof workforce for the water sector. The WG HC aims to support and accelerate the innovative water sector with the creation and execution of Human Capital Agenda.
Water Beyond Europe WG
The scope of the WG is to create connections and networking on international water activities. The Working Group will collaborate with the work of other working groups and other relevant international networks; support Water Europe and its members for their international water agendas; strengthen international business opportunities for the Water Europe members; enhance effective communication mechanisms with relevant international external entities (e.g. public authorities/supranational entities, WB, IWA, OECD etc.); map and connect with international networks and water orientated living labs; and provide a living database of relevant international organisations for the potential to collaborate.

Naomi
Timmer
Human Capital WG Leader
H2O People

Leonardo
Piccinetti
Human Capital WG Co-Leader
Europe for Business

David
Smith
Water Beyond Europe WG Leader
WE&B

Gaetano
Casale
Water Beyond Europe WG Co-leader
UNESCO-IHE
Water & Sustainable Agrifood WG
The Working Group focuses on good practices and innovative solutions in order to improve sustainable exploitation and stewardship of water sources in the agriculture and the food processing industry. The WG aims to involve the water sector, the food industry (e.g. processing), and the agricultural sector with the aim to promote synergies that boost cooperation and exchange of knowledge between these relevant sectors. Likewise, the WG seeks to pave the way for the implementation of appropriate solutions by improving the framework conditions (e.g. better regulations, funding, water quality and quantity, social and economic aspects, etc.)
Water & Industry WG
The WG serves as a platform for industries across different sectors (comprising (petro)chemical, mining, food, pulp and paper, textile, steel, and others) to address challenges, barriers, and opportunities related to water end-users. The platform should ultimately consist of industrial end-users and (a limited number of) supporting organizations – other interested parties form a surrounding shell of “observer” partners. The platform should provide a basis for interaction next to and beyond the level of national platforms and European branch organizations, thereby creating the “water specific” connection between industry sectors on a European level. Areas of interest are BREF’s (wastewater, cooling, etc), EU reuse policy, zero-pollution goal, and others.

Antonia
Lorenzo
Water & Sustainable Agrifood WG Leader
Bioazul

Alfieri
Pollice
Water & Sustainable Agrifood WG Co-leader
CNR-IRSA

Thomas
Track
Water & Industry WG Leader
DECHEMA

Heleen
Nieuwenhuis
Water & Industry WG Co-leader
ECOLAB
Resource Recovery WG
The Resource Recovery Working Group is primarily active in the recovery of Nutrients, Metals, Minerals, Water and Energy from (waste) water. This is an important activity to unlock the circular economy and reap the benefits of the Value in Water and the Value of Water. Among its objectives are the support for the establishment of end-of-waste criteria for European waste water derived products (recovered and produced); the supply of inputs towards the European Commission and the creation of a stage for young PhD students, along with the connection of start-ups and SMEs.
Renewable Energy Desalination WG
The scope of the WG will be to assess the feasibility of the implementation of solar desalination in islands. Two different regions will be considered in parallel for blueprint cases: Southern Europe and Northern Europe. Solutions for implementing solar desalination will be analyzed, discussed and proposed in each case. The analysis and discussion will be done from the technical point of view by choosing the most appropriate technologies in each case, but also from the social, economic and environmental point of view by taking into account limitations and regulations, economical constrains, and other uses and opportunities.

Martijn
Bijmans
Resource Recovery WG Leader
WETSUS

Dimitris
Xevgenos
Resource Recovery WG Co-leader
TU DELFT

Guillermo
Zaragoza
Renewable Energy Desalination WG Leader
CIEMAT-PSA

Amelia
Stromberg
Renewable Energy Desalination WG Co-leader
VattenInfo
Water & Climate WG
The scope of the WG ‘Water & Climate’ is to bring together relevant stakeholders, such as researchers, companies, NGOs and legislators; to identify current and future water and climate related topics on regional, national and EU-level; to promote joint projects of Working Group members; to support innovative measures and solutions with the aim to cope with climate change impacts and provide information and expertise to European Commission DGs.
Water Security WG
The scope of the WG is to translate the concept of water security to the European context. This will form the basis for the Working Group’s white paper which will cover the relations of Water Security with water governance, legislation and regulation, assessment and progress monitoring, research and innovation. Questions that will be answered are: What are the global implications of water security, including the SDGs? What does water security mean for Europe? What does it mean for the connection of Europe to the rest of the world? How can we improve water security and monitor progress?

Tone
Muthanna
Water & Climate WG Leader
NTNU

Maria do Céu Almeida
Water & Climate WG Co-Leader
LNEC

Jan
Hofman
Water Security WG Leader
University of Bath

Blanca
Antizar
Water Security WG Co-leader
Isle Utilities
Water & Public Health WG
The scope of the Working Group is to make health an important element in EU water related policies and boost the R&I methodology to contribute to the achievement of a Water Smart Society in which the value of water is recognized and protected as a precious resource for human health and well-being. The WG will analyse and provide clear advice to the water value chain on selected areas of interest that are in need of further policy and R&I coordination and support.
Water & Zero Pollution WG
The scope of the Working Groups is to enhance water availability, quality, and usage using advanced technologies. This includes tapping into new alternative water sources, employing innovative digital tools for monitoring water activities, and implementing measures to prevent water pollution in the entire cycle.

Cristian
Carboni
Water & Public Health WG Leader
Industrie De Nora

Patrizia
Brigidi
Water & Public Health WG Co-leader
UNIBO

Hilde
Passier
Water & Zero Pollution WG Leader
DELTARES

Lian
Lundy
Water & Zero Pollution WG Co-leader
Luleå University

Maria Elena
Rowinski
Water & Public Health WG Co-leader
Azienda Ospedaliera

Andreas
Matzinger
Water & Zero Pollution WG Co-leader
KWB
Nature Based Solutions WG
The scope of the WG NBS is to foster the research, development, and implementation of NBS in the public and industrial water sectors. The WG activities are focused on exchanging information among different groups, implementing nature-based solutions; discussing the different classes and variations of nature-based solutions and their effects; providing input in national and European research and innovation programmes; and facilitating joint research and innovation activities.
Water Distribution Infrastructure & Energy WG
From a system perspective, the Working Group Water Distribution Infrastructure & Energy (WDIE) has as its scope to cover a broad variety of challenges facing water distribution infrastructure from the source to the tap. This includes technical challenges with an ageing infrastructure, asset management with growing demand and investment concerns, as well as the respective innovative business models.
Water & Biodiversity WG
The Working Group Water and Biodiversity seeks to connect water and water resources to biodiversity as an indicator for healthy ecosystems. Assessment and mitigation of biodiversity loss by pollution or decrease of available water are addressed through social and technical innovations. The WG focuses on innovations that improve biodiversity monitoring in water bodies, and on new concepts and approaches that enable the (re-)development of resilient, biodiverse, aquatic ecosystems.
The WG aims to support national and European R&I ambitions and policies, as well as the achievement of the WE Vision for a Water-Smart Society. It also aims at developing tools and perspectives to control and increase the availability of fit for purpose water for restoring biodiversity.

Kamal
Azrague
Nature Based Solutions WG Leader
SINTEF

Frederic
Cherqui
Nature Based Solutions WG Co-leader
INSA Lyon

Abdelkader
Meroufel
Water Distribution Infrastructure & Energy WG Leader
RISE

Qian
Wang
Water Distribution Infrastructure & Energy WG Co-leader
UPONOR

Sara
Eeman
Water & Biodiversity WG Leader
Aveco de Bondt

Piia
Leskinen
Water & Biodiversity WG Co-leader
Turku University of Applied Science