Hydrousa
HYDROUSA (Demonstration of Water Loops with innovative Regenerative Business models for Mediterranean Region) is a project designed under the call CIRC-02-2016-2017 Water in the context of the circular economy (Grant Agreement No. 776643). HYDROUSA aims to provide innovative solutions for Mediterranean islands in terms of water/wastewater treatment and management, which will close the water loops and will also boost their agricultural and energy profile. HYDROUSA goes beyond the current water and wastewater management practices by adopting innovative, nature-based water management solutions for different types of water characterised by low energy footprint. Clear water loops will be demonstrated, recovering added value products, while integrating and interacting with the local market. These technologies will be demonstrated at six demonstration sites at full scale in three Mediterranean islands (Lesvos, Mykonos and Tinos) whereas the transferability of HYDROUSA solutions will be assessed in 25 early adopter cases in Mediterranean coastal areas and islands and at several water-stressed rural or peri-urban non-Mediterranean areas.
The additional services that will be provided with the innovative approaches will lead to a win-win situation for the economy, the environment, and the community. Comprehensive business models will be developed to demonstrate the economic viability of the aforementioned technologies and services as well as the resulting economic benefits from the recovered materials and energy. HYDROUSA will not only develop and demonstrate innovative water services, but will revolutionise the water value chains in Mediterranean areas from water use up to sewage treatment and reuse. It will change the human water cycle by valorising non-conventional water resources, which are currently not being exploited. The consortium of the HYDROUSA project consists of 27 high competent organisations involved in water management, agricultural activities, ICT and, business/marketing, dissemination/ communication spanning throughout the whole water supply chain. The project is led and coordinated by National Technical University of Athens, (NTUA).
IRIDRA is partner of HYDROUSA, principally following the design and monitoring of nature-based solutions for treatment and reuse of wastewater, which is aimed to be reused for fertigation of an agroforestry system and limiting the amount of fresh water and fertilisers required for food production.
For more details: www.hydrousa.org
IRIDRA is principally involved in the HYDRO1 module, i.e. on the design and monitoring of wetland systems for treatment of UASB effluent. The treated wastewater is aimed to be reused in the module HYDRO2 for the cultivation of high-added value products.
Non-conventional water resources, used technologies, recovered product, and markets considered in the HYDROUSA concept
IRIDRA is principally involved in module HYDRO1, i.e. in the treatment of wastewater (water category) with nature-based solutions (system) to produce an effluent rich in nutrients (product) and suitable to fertigate typical Mediterranean crops and to reduce the water and nutrient demand (products).
From the current nutrient cycle, open and not sustainable, to the HYDROUSA nutrient cycle, balanced and circular
IRIDRA's solutions, in synergies with those proposed by HYDROUSA project, will demonstrate how a non-conventional circular economy approach of water management can build a sustainable nutrient cycle
Cascade benefits of HYDROUSA concept
Demonstration and replication sites to test the replicability of HYDROUSA concept - HYDROUSA partners
IRIDRA is responsible for the design and monitoring of nature-based solution of HYDRO1 module, in the Lesvos island. Moreover, IRIDRA will work on the feasibility study for transferability proof of HYDROUSA concept in other Mediterranean island in Italy.
The team
Kick-off meeting 12-13th July, Athens. IRIDRA is among the 27 partners of the project, from 10 different countries.
