HYDROUSA – Demonstration of water loops with innovative regenerative business models for the Mediterranean region (H2020)  

General concept

HYDROUSA aims to setup and demonstrate on-site nature-based solutions for the management of a variety of water streams including rainwater, sewage, groundwater and seawater to produce valuable resources, which can then be valorised to increase agricultural production and boost the economic activities of Mediterranean areas. The demonstration systems will be applied at full scale on two Greek islands (Mykonos and Tinos). The implemented solutions will be complemented with innovative services, based on the formation of new value chains, involving farmer associations and water producers. The transferability of the solutions will then be demonstrated in 10 other Mediterranean and water stressed places. HYDROUSA will advance technologies from TRL5 or 6 (already validated in relevant environment independently) to TRL7 (system prototype demonstration in operational environment) or even 8 corresponding to advances to be achieved during the 2 years full-scale demonstration. 

The role of UNIVPM in HYDROUSA

UNIVPM is evaluating transferability and replication of HYDROUSA services in different replication sites world-wide. To achieve this goal, legislative and institutional analysis at European level have been assessed for identification of possible gaps within the policy framework which could hinder the implementation of HYDROUSA innovative solutions. Specifically, EU legislation in the field of Water Framework Directive, Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, Fertiliser Regulation, Food safety legislation as well as links to other EU policy initiatives (e.g. EC policy framework on phosphorus; resource-efficient Europe initiative; EU biodiversity strategy; EU climate change adaptation and disaster prevention; Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection) and policy proposals and measures have been analysed. A guidance methodology for replicability assessment in different replication sites has been developed in order to provide criteria for replicability of HYDROUSA solutions within the different local contexts. Feasibility studies for all the replication sites will be further reported with focus on the identification of social, legislative, financial and economic instruments for enabling environment analysis at local level. 

Expected impacts

The whole water value chain will benefit from this disruptive approach of turning a problem into a solution within HYDROUSA. With a plethora of application possibilities a variety of additional services can be created: e.g. new standardisation procedures for technical equipment or organic farming, new methods for decentralised urban farming with wastewater, new business models with leasing of biogas equipment, , new open data citizen science activities, farmers utilising and commercialising new systems, new types of community farming with shared toilets, community supported agriculture with closed nutrient cycles, etc.