LIFE makes a splash at Aquatech Amsterdam

Among the 900 exhibitors from 140 countries vying for attention at this year’s Aquatech Amsterdam were 7 LIFE projects who are all in their own way helping to deliver safer, cleaner, more sustainable water supplies across the EU.   

Innovative projects like LIFEH20BUS which cuts the water used to clean public transport buses by  84% in three cities across Italy, Hungary and Croatia — with the potential to save 37 million litres of water a year. ‘Thanks to initiatives like LIFEH20BUS, water savings are now integrated into public transport systems,’ says project manager Lingyun Xia. ‘We’re setting an example for businesses to take responsibility for protecting water resources.’ 

Also showcasing their success was LIFE-FRESHMAN, a 5-year, €5.6 million project to protect and improve the quality of freshwater wells in Dutch coastal areas where they are in danger of salinization due to upward movement of brackish groundwater. ‘LIFE-FRESHMAN helps safeguard and even enhance the availability of freshwater in coastal zones,’ says project coordinator Gertjan Zwolsman. ‘After 3 years of piloting the system, it’s looking positive!’ 

Much of the Netherlands famously lies below sea level, so it was no surprise to find another Dutch project, LIFE WATERSOURCE, among the exhibitors. ‘We pre-purify surface water using nature before it enters the existing drinking water production process,’ explains Anne Swank, the project’s EU coordinator. ‘On a demonstration scale we use a nature-based purification ecotope to improve the water quality  and reduce the amount of necessary chemicals and energy needed to treat the water in our current water treatment plant. This ecotope is also great for the birds and fish in Lake IJsselmeer where the water comes from.’ 

On hand to help LIFE get the most out of Aquatech was Netherlands National Contact Point (NCP) John Heynen, whose main role is helping projects draft applications for EU funding — as well as supporting events, workshops, communications and promotion. ‘NCPs work with applicants in their native language and check their project fits the LIFE Programme. We identify any shortcomings before submission. Your NCP can save you a lot of valuable time,’ he advises. 

Also participating at Aquatech were LIFE REMINE WATER, testing solar-powered water reuse and by-product recovery in the mining industry; LIFE AMIA, a combined anaerobic-aerobic, microalgae and advanced oxidation technology for more efficient wastewater treatment; LIFE REWAINCER, a new way to reclaim industrial wastewater in the ceramics industry; and LIFE GreenLED, a unique water solution to replace the potable supply with locally collected rainwater in urban areas.  

The 7 LIFE projects which took part in Aquatech Amsterdam support the EU Directives on water, urban wastewater, drinking water, marine strategy, habitats and birds. They also align with the goals of the European Green Deal and the long-term climate strategy.