The role of ICT in contributing to the “Smart Technologies EIP Priority” is widely recognised by the scientific community and water business professionals. Despite relevant progress and innovation achieved in this field, several barriers hinder the implementation of Smart Water Technologies such as the fragmentation of the sector, slow adoption, absence of SME development, and no holistic vision of water supply considering its whole life cycle. Moreover, at present a fully integrated Smart Water Network does not exist in Europe or globally. Hence, current lack of knowledge of EU water research and innovation results on industry, policy makers, and citizens is slowing down the widespread application of solutions that can leverage the development of the urban systems and infrastructures of tomorrow. This scenario shows that achieving water-related challenges cannot progress with the sole contribution of research. In this sense, the project has the vision of establishing and supporting a thriving, interconnected ICT for water community to promote the dissemination and exploitation of EU funded activities and results in this area. WIDEST will address its goals through a project-to-project approach and the coordination among relevant stakeholders by means of five objectives that will include, amongst others: Conducting literature reviews of relevant academic and commercial references; Establishing common frameworks such as standards, guidelines, website, video channel; Organizing events including conferences, workshops, special sessions; Producing three Topical Roadmaps and one Overall Roadmap; Producing a Portfolio of effective ICT for water management technologies including the methodology to build, update and execute it. The project is backed by a strong consortium composed by institutions with proven track record and expertise across different facets of ICT for water research, including established connections with key stakeholders.

IDEATION (InlanD watErs in the digitAl Twin OceaN) aims to prepare the development of the digital twin of the inland waters (rivers, lakes, reservoirs, wetlands, snow, and ice) addressing activities to be developed and to make it integrated and interoperable with the DTO for a unified digital twin of ocean and waters (addressing the hydrosphere as a whole). IDEATION will be based on a cross-border cooperation, involvement, and commitment of stakeholders at European level by following the Water-oriented Living Labs (WoLLs) approach. Stakeholders will be engaged via Multi-Stakeholder Forums (MSF), using a range of different engagement methodologies (e.g., focus groups, workshops, interviews, questionnaires) depending on goals of the engagement and specificities of the context. A comprehensive review will be performed to make an open knowledge inventory for inland water systems (OpenKIWAS). IDEATION will co-design the IDEATION reference architecture defining a set of building blocks, interfaces and standards to make data, models and technologies interoperable and integrable with the DTO. Putting together all the results from the MSF, OpenKIWAS, and the IDEATION reference architecture, a roadmap for the integration of inland waters in the Digital Twin Ocean will be created providing a preliminary breakdown of the work, with priorities of implementation, into a stepped approach. The consortium members have high experience on EU project coordination and participation, the majority of them already worked together in research projects.

Objectives 1. Improve the competitiveness of the EU industrial sector by reducing 20% energy costs in industrial water processes. (WP4) A total reduction of 26 GWh/year will be achieved at the end of the project implementing energy efficiency measures in the European manufacturing companies. 2. Identify saving potentials and benchmark energy performance through an Energy Management Self-Assessment (EMSA) collaborative web-tool. (WP1 & WP2) Manufacturing industries can anonymously introduce their data into the EMSA web-tool to know their ranking regarding other industries with the same processes. 3. Strengthen the energy saving market through the creation of an “Energy Angels” network: facilitating contacts with skilled energy managers and auditors and providing access to support for the implementation and financing of water energy efficiency projects. (WP3) The energywater proposal will prepare the ground for investment facilitating information about potential savings and establishing a network of qualified providers (with technical and financial skill). Furthermore the Energy Angels network will implement a training module to improve the availability of skilled energy managers and auditors in which at least 200 people will be trained. 4. Improve energy performance in industrial water processes through benchmarking activities and a best practice guide based on real experience case studies. (WP4) Saving strategies identified in the EMSA web-tool will be implemented in manufacturing industries. The best energy saving strategies to manage industrial water processes will be compiled in a guidance document. 5. Influence energy efficiency regulation through public authorities’ involvement. (WP4) In order to optimise energy efficiency in manufacturing industries both private and public stakeholders have to be aware of their role. We will make public authorities part of the energywater project with the objective to identify and remove regulatory and non-regulatory barr

The quantity and quality of water resources are serious problems in many European areas, mostly being a joined result of climate change and anthropic influences. The BOOST-IN project aims to develop a successful strategy that promotes technological changes, governance schemes, shifts in mind-set and organizational structures in order to solve these problems through a better management of the water sector and application of the circular economy principles, enabling water reuse and recovery of different materials (e.g. energy, nutrients). However, implementation of these changes still faces several barriers (e.g. technology, economy, knowledge, social perception) that need to be overcome. BOOST-IN will achieve these goals by an effective identification, selection (through a specifically designed dynamic funnel method) and transfer of innovative Water Circular Economy Solutions (WACES) to further close and improve the water cycle. The project will develop and apply its approach in six Regions of Opportunity evenly distributed across Europe (Spain, Greece, Germany, France, Italy and Bulgaria) by organization of co-creation workshops to increase public awareness and support for WACES implementation, barriers overcoming as well as by the specific risk management plans design. At the EU level the project will create an active network of stakeholders and set detailed action plans, including different training and education activities targeting water professionals. In order to promote and boost a successful market uptake of circular solutions and maximize the impact, the project will provide expertise on suitable business models and develop standardized quality criteria, as well as facilitate the links between solution providers and potential investors. Moreover, BOOST-IN will upgrade and benefit from the existing Water Europe Marketplace platform that will enable the projects clustering, B2B matchmaking and selections of appropriate WACES solutions for specific user needs.

MARCLAIMED will be a breakthrough addressing in an efficient, sustainable, and trustworthy way the water scarcity and water stress mitigation. MARCLAIMED will support decision makers to integrate Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) with Alternative Water Resources (AWR) in River Basin and Drought Management Plans supporting the adaptation and resilience of structural supply systems in the context of climate change. The main outcome will be the MARCLAIMED Integrated Decision Support Tool (IDST) that will provide solutions to tackle existing and emerging threats and support decision making and adaptation policies. MARCLAIMED IDST will ensure I) high level operational performance through 3 AI-based tools to: i) monitor and control AWR quality, ii) forecast the water resources availability and iii) provide health, environmental and performance risk indicators; II) economic sustainability under uncertainty providing: i) a municipal scale water scarcity indicator, ii) water security economic value of MAR with AWR and iii) a cost recovery-based system; and III) social acceptance, strengthen the engagement of national and EU policy makers in collaboration with a Community of Practice and the definition of EU MAR-lines, as rules and guidelines, to promote policy recommendations and boost regulatory framework. MARCLAIMED results will be implemented and validated in 3 demo sites in southern (PT, ES) and western Europe (NL) chosen by their wide range of settings in terms of climatic conditions, alternative water sources, MAR scheme or MAR potential, as well as political and socio-cultural context. In addition, to cover a wide spectrum of economic sectors and activities, an industrial feasibility study (in the mining sector) will be carried out in central (PL) and eastern Europe RIS countries.