Circular water systems against climate change and pollution

As climate change, pollution and urbanisation increase pressure on European water systems, SOLUCIR is developing practical approaches to support the wider adoption of circular and decentralised water management. The project seeks to make water systems more flexible and resilient while protecting human health and the environment.

This work responds to challenges already affecting wastewater management across Europe. Treatment plants must adapt to climate change, newly identified pollutants, rising resource demands and the need to maintain ageing infrastructure. At the same time, water scarcity and higher energy demand are increasing the importance of recovering value from wastewater through water reuse, renewable-energy production and nutrient recovery.

SOLUCIR is addressing these challenges by studying how smaller, local water systems can operate alongside existing centralised infrastructure. These hybrid systems could allow water to be treated and reused locally while maintaining the reliability provided by central networks.

This approach is becoming increasingly relevant. The European Commission has recently brought together representatives from water utilities, industry, research, agriculture and European institutions to discuss water and the circular economy. The discussion recognised water as:

• A vital and increasingly scarce resource.
• A carrier of materials that can potentially be recovered.
• An essential input for industry, energy and infrastructure.

SOLUCIR contributes to this transition by examining how these principles can be implemented under different European conditions.