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.
2021-2014 Working Groups MATRIX
2021-2014 Working Groups Leadership
Water & Climate WG
(WWC WG)
Water Security WG
(WS WG)
Tim
aus der Beek
WWC WG Leader
IWW Zentrum Wasser
Tone
Muthanna
WWC WG Co-leader
NTNU
Jan
Hofman
WS WG Leader
University of Bath
Blanca
Antizar
WS WG Co-leader
Isle Utilities
Water Sensors and Tools WG
(WST WG)
The main scope of this working group is to improve R&D activities on innovative sensors and explore all future applications and goals that new smart meters can offer to water utilities; also developing tools, best practice, software and devices. Water and Sensors WG aims to identify future trend in the sector contributing to enhance water services and solve water-related global challenges according to Water Europe (WE) Vision.
There is a growing demand for cost-effective solutions to control key parameters for our everyday life (e.g. drinkable water), for the environment control (e.g. climate change) or for sustaining/developing economies, which depend on water (e.g. water utility, aquaculture, blue economy, etc). Smart meters and innovative management tools represent a need for R&D in identify novel solutions able to face the socio-economic challenges of water use and management, improve water distribution and water quality and optimize water cycle processes according to various stakeholders’ operational needs.
Digital Water Systems and Interoperability WG (DWSI WG)
Armando
Di Nardo
WST WG Leader
MedHydro
Jordi
Cros Herrero
WST WG Co-leader
Adasa Sistemas
Eloisa
Vargiu
DWSI WG Leader
CETAQUA
Roberto
di Bernardo
DWSI WG Co-leader
Engineering SRL
Water & Human Capital WG
(WHC WG)
The scope of the WG Human Capital is to create sensitivity within the water sector to the human factor at European level and positioning 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.
With the WG HC we want to support and accelerate the innovative water sector with creation and execution of Human Capital Agenda. This WG will collect the knowledge and will set up and co-create on human capital to support the technical innovations towards the development of a water-smart society. The knowledge, activities, and networks of this WG can be of service to all other working groups within Water Europe, since they all build upon their human capital. The WG HC will also connect with the other WGs to collect information on their needs and knowledge for the skills agenda for the future.
It will create Water Europe as an inclusive organisation with not only eye for the technical view of innovations but also room to the development of innovations to the human capital.
Water Beyond Europe WG
(WBE WG)
Naomi
Timmer
WHC WG Leader
H2O People
Zakhar
Maletskyi
WHC WG Co-leader
NMBU
David
Smith
WBE WG Leader
WE&B
Gaetano
Casale
WBE WG Co-leader
UNESCO-IHE
Water & Public Health WG
(WPH 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 analyses and provides clear advice to the water value chain on selected areas of interest that are in need for further policy and R&I coordination and support. The WG coordinates and cooperates with the Water Europe collaboration matrix (WGs and VLTs) with the aim to prioritize the areas of interest for the entire membership and strategic stakeholders of Water Europe.
Water & Zero Pollution WG
(WZP WG)
Barth
F. Smets
WPH WG Co-leader
Technical University of Denmark
Maria Elena
Rowinski
WPH WG Co-leader
Azienda Ospedaliera
Water & Sustainable Agrifood WG
(WSA WG)
The scope of this working group focuses on good practices and innovative solutions to improve sustainable exploitation and stewardship of water sources in the agriculture and the food processing industry. Multisectorial participation and good understanding is needed to implement these sustainable approaches. The WG aims to involve the water sector, the food industry (e.g. processing), and the agricultural sector in order 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
(WI 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
WSA WG Leader
Bioazul
Alfieri
Pollice
WSA WG Co-leader
CNR-IRSA
Thomas
Track
WI WG Leader
DECHEMA
Heleen
Nieuwenhuis
WI WG Co-leader
ECOLAB
Resource Recovery WG
(RR 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.
Renewable Energy Desalination WG
(RED WG)
The focus of the WG will be assessing the feasibility of the implementation of solar desalination in islands. Two different regions will be considered in parallel for blueprint cases: Southern Europe (Mediterranean Islands) and Northern Europe (Baltic and North Sea Islands), and feedback from one to another will be pursued continuously for synergic purposes.
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, as well as other uses and opportunities. Stakeholders and communities will be key in this aspect, and will be engaged from the starting point.
Martijn
Bijmans
RR WG Leader
WETSUS
Dimitris
Xevgenos
RR WG Co-leader
TU DELFT
Guillermo
Zaragoza
RED WG Leader
CIEMAT-PSA
Amelia
Stromberg
RED WG Co-leader
VattenInfo
Nature Based Solutions WG
(NBS WG)
The WG NBS through its activities fosters the research, development, and implementation of NBS in the public and industrial water sectors. More specifically the WG activities are focused on exchanging information between scientists, practitioners, policy makers, SMEs and NGO’s on using or implementing nature-based solutions; discussing the different classes and variations of nature-based solutions and their effects on water quantity and quality and on human health and ecology; providing input in national and European research and innovation programmes through relevant clusters of Water Europe; facilitating joint research and innovation activities through linking national projects and collaborating in international consortia.
Water Distribution Infrastructure & Energy WG
(WDIE WG)
From system perspective, WDIE covers a broad variety of challenges facing water distribution infrastructure from the source to the tap. This includes technical challenges with an aging infrastructure, asset management with growing demand and investment concerns, and the respective innovative business models.
Water & Biodiversity WG
(WB WG)
Kamal
Azrague
NBS WG Leader
SINTEF
Frederic
Cherqui
NBS WG Co-leader
INSA Lyon
Abdelkader
Meroufel
WDIE WG Leader
RISE
Qian
Wang
WDIE WG Co-leader
UPONOR
Barth
F. Smets
WPH WG Co-leader
Technical University of Denmark
Maria Elena
Rowinski
WPH WG Co-leader
Azienda Ospedaliera
WE WORK FOR YOU
Request additional information
If you need more information regarding our Working Groups please contact Andrea Rubini, WE Director of Operations.
