Cologne, 27 November 2025 – With the launch of the EU-funded project NEW WATER, a new phase of water reuse is beginning in Northwest Europe. The aim of the project is to demonstrate how wastewater, rainwater, and heavily polluted surface water can be treated and transformed into high-quality drinking water. The background to this initiative includes increasing periods of drought, limited water resources, and growing demands for a resilient water supply.
The project is supported by the EU’s Interreg North-West Europe programme with around 4 million euros. A total of 16 partners from Belgium, Germany, France, and the Netherlands are working together — including water utilities, research institutions, industrial companies, and public authorities. Pilot plants will be set up at seven European locations, where various water treatment processes will be tested under real-life conditions.
figawa is one of the project’s active supporters. Michael Reinders, Technical Officer, describes its significance for the association:
“As a technical-scientific association, we support companies in developing innovations through an open technology approach. NEW WATER can provide an important foundation for establishing technological solutions for water reuse more firmly in practice and for opening up new fields of application.”
He adds regarding the motivation for participating:
“We want to give the topic of water reuse greater weight at the European level, practically test further areas of application, and strengthen the exchange between problem owners and solution providers.”
With regard to regulatory developments, figawa also sees great potential:
“The project provides valuable input for future legal requirements on water reuse — beyond agricultural irrigation. These insights can feed into European processes in which we act as an interface between legislators, authorities, and other stakeholders.”
For figawa, NEW WATER is the first Interreg project at the EU level. According to Reinders, water reuse as a shared European concern forms an ideal starting point for deeper collaboration.
NEW WATER thus makes a concrete contribution to advancing technological innovations, conveying knowledge in a practical way, and accelerating the transition to a sustainable, resource-efficient water sector.
For further information or technical inquiries, please contact us!
