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RichWater project - Technologies for utilization of water resources
Published on 26 March 2019
Spain
Andalucía
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About this good practice
The aim of the project is to demonstrate innovative and competitive wastewater reuse technology in agriculture and include the integration of water treatment and irrigation into a system that is tailored to the requirements of farmers and a high level of water and nutrient recycling and selective evaluation to ensure safe irrigation.
The results of the Horizon 2020 project implementation are a complete applicable and marketable wastewater reuse system consisting of 4 modules: wastewater treatment, mixing plant, fertigation and control and monitoring. Under the project, subtropical crops and tomatoes with 150 cubic meters of water are grown daily in southern Spain. Safety concerns, such as the removal of pathogens, are fully solved, with guarantees of crop consumption. Demonstrations of water and fertilizer savings are made for practitioners and farmers. Demoples for safe and optimized production with tomato, mango and avocado irrigation were built.
The project also developed applications that detect high levels of nitrates, phosphates and potassium, and therefore high levels of nutrient recycling. The system is adapted to work with high conductivity water.
The direct benefits of the project are directed to farmers and irrigation associations, wastewater treatment plant operators, public administrations and consumers.
The results of the Horizon 2020 project implementation are a complete applicable and marketable wastewater reuse system consisting of 4 modules: wastewater treatment, mixing plant, fertigation and control and monitoring. Under the project, subtropical crops and tomatoes with 150 cubic meters of water are grown daily in southern Spain. Safety concerns, such as the removal of pathogens, are fully solved, with guarantees of crop consumption. Demonstrations of water and fertilizer savings are made for practitioners and farmers. Demoples for safe and optimized production with tomato, mango and avocado irrigation were built.
The project also developed applications that detect high levels of nitrates, phosphates and potassium, and therefore high levels of nutrient recycling. The system is adapted to work with high conductivity water.
The direct benefits of the project are directed to farmers and irrigation associations, wastewater treatment plant operators, public administrations and consumers.
Resources needed
The project, funded under Horizon 2020, with a budget of € 2,101,711. The lead partner of the project is the Spanish organization BIOAZUL and includes five partner organizations from Germany, Austria, Spain and the United kingdom.
Evidence of success
The project is receiving a lot of attention from different stakeholders that can benefit from the usage of the technology.
Potential for learning or transfer
A lot of SMEs across Europe and the world there is a water shortage and it will be quite better for them in financial terms and for the environment to apply the results of the project. The technology seems to be quite easy to adapt to the different farms which makes it easy to transfer. The initial costs for introducing and implementing the innovation might be high for some SMEs.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
BIOAZUL
Spain
Andalucía
Contact
Executive Director