Flexible and Reliable Concepts for Sustainable Water Reuse in Agriculture
Background:
agriculture by developing and demonstrating flexible technical and natural treatment systems adapted to agricultural needs.
Innovative process combinations are being tested and further developed at four sites on a pilot or large scale with respect to a wide range of physical, chemical and microbiological water quality parameters.
Particular focus will be placed on potential synergies with trace element removal, as well as innovations in process monitoring through the use of digital applications (Digital Green Tech / Digital Twin), ensuring challenging quality objectives such as unrestricted irrigation can be met at all times.
An integrated assessment approach is also being developed and tested, combining water quality, health risks, system resilience, and economic and environmental dimensions.
To promote the potential for reuse, issues of water reuse acceptability and transferability of FlexTreat solutions will be addressed with the involvement of potential users. In addition, inputs for implementation guidelines, including a guide on risk management with respect to the European minimum requirements and a guide on "Technologies for Safe Water Reuse in Agriculture" will be developed.
Aims:
Development and application of scientific and technical principles for the safe use of treated wastewater as well as heavily wastewater-affected surface waters for agricultural irrigation in Germany and abroad.
Investigate and optimize the treatment performance of innovative advanced wastewater treatment processes with respect to a broad range of physical, chemical, and microbiological water quality parameters (including antibiotic resistance and transformation products of trace substances).
Demonstrate the benefits of Digital Green Tech (digital twin, online simulation, machine learning, use of mobile devices) for process monitoring and optimization of treatment processes.
Risk assessment and risk management across the complete system of wastewater treatment basin, wastewater treatment, advanced treatment, storage, distribution, and irrigation to agricultural product.
Demonstrate the applicability and support the utilization of the developed concepts and technologies for water reuse in agriculture at home and abroad, including the development of target group oriented communication.
Develop inputs for implementation guidelines, incl. an integrated approach to risk management and a guideline on "Technologies for safe water reuse in agriculture", which takes into account and complements the new European requirements.
