A new collaborative platform has been developed in France to help connect global water sector stakeholders to projects to help close the loop on water.
Bring worldwide water reuse projects together
Called HotspotReuse, the open access platform is free of charge and dedicated to water reuse, listing working projects to connect the industry.
Partners include the association Water Reuse Europe, as well as financial support from La French Tech and Green Tech Verte (innovation programme).
Launched by French environmental consultancy, Ecofilae, the aim of the platform is to “make up for this lack of information and to bring these worldwide reuse projects together.”
The idea is that users can sieve through global projects, find examples, technical information, ask questions and eventually communicate with other industrial parties using their feedback to help bring new projects to life.
Industry members can also add to the platform, referencing their reuse schemes and all third-party data will be “analysed and checked by a community of European experts in order to guarantee the reliability of all the referenced information.”
Overcoming the ignorance surrounding the circular economy
HospotReuse was borne out of a need to connect outside stakeholders to accelerate water recycling projects, according to Nicolas Condom, president and founder of Ecofilae.
"Over the past six years, Ecofilae has participated in more than 90 circular water economy projects worldwide and the same conclusion can be drawn every time: there is real ignorance surrounding the subject both by the legislators and the interested parties reinforced by the lack of contact between the members of the water industry."
“Circular water economy projects are difficult to get off the ground…”
“A generalised ignorance which slows down the development of these projects, and this on a global scale,” he said.
Admitting that “circular water economy projects are difficult to get off the ground”, Condom added that “all third-party data will be analysed and checked by a community of European experts in order to guarantee the reliability of all the referenced information.”
Endless possibilities
In recent years, the impacts of climate change have meant that temperatures have risen and water levels are falling, but recent developments in water reuse technology has opened the door for opportunities.
The reuse of water includes reclaiming wastewater for beneficial uses, however only a small part of treated wastewater is re-used today. In France, 0.5 per cent of treated wastewater is reused, and that figure only rises to two per cent globally.
Yet there are a multitude of uses for treated wastewater: irrigation, industry and cleaning. Reused water is therefore given an infinite added value and thus participates in the sustainable development of the local area.
"In France, 0.5 per cent of treated wastewater is reused, and that figure only rises to two per cent globally."
“Re-use loops are an integral part of a circular economy,” added Condom. “The idea is to maximise the economic efficiency of water by creating a virtuous local water loop from the source through to the use. Clearly the reuse enables sustainable and beneficial solutions to be found with a win-win approach for everyone concerned in the water cycle.”
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