NEW MODEL FOR THE APPLICATION AND USE OF RECLAIMED WATER IN INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENTS IN THE CERAMICS SECTOR

Introduction

Recent studies show that by 2050 there will be river basins experiencing severe water stress affecting 130M inhabitants in southern Europe. Moreover, climate change is expected to exacerbate water availability and increase irrigation withdrawals.

Project Overview

LIFE REWAINCER is a €1.3M demonstration project aiming to reduce the extraction of fresh water from aquifers. This will be achieved by validating water regeneration technologies that allow direct use of reclaimed waters in high water-demanding industrial scale processes of the ceramic sector. The project contributes to guaranteeing the economic development of the region and increasing the amount of available water resources.

Consortium Composition

The LIFE REWAINCER consortium is composed of a multidisciplinary combination of industry and academic actors, including:

1. FACSA (Coordinator): Holds expertise in the construction and management of wastewater treatment plants.
2. SAMCA (EUROARCE): A ceramics multinational company responsible for the demonstration and validation.
3. ITC-AICE: A research institution that brings expertise in innovative water treatment technologies, ceramic processes, and environmental analysis techniques.

Additionally, several entities from the regional public sector have shown interest in the project and will contribute to the Advisory Board.

Expected Impact

The project will have a very relevant impact at different levels, not just during its execution, but also after completion, thanks to the replication and exploitation actions foreseen.

• It is expected that LIFE REWAINCER results will promote the uptake of the proposed solutions not only by other actors in the ceramics sector but also by other water-demanding industrial sectors with high water demand, such as textiles.
• The project will also extend its benefits to other EU regions and countries, providing wide environmental benefits.