Technical Advances
📌 Building Dialogue: A Participatory Approach to Water Reuse in the Dordogne
As part of activities 1.5 – pilot action to test the Target strategy at catchment level and 2.4 – opportunity study for the REUT of water treatment plants, Cerema is responsible for supporting the technical studies by implementing consultation mechanisms. To this end, it has commissioned the Ecologie Urbaine et Citoyenne (EUC) consultancy, which began its work in March. The structuring of the consultation was based on the participation compass, an application developed by Cerema to facilitate the organisation and monitoring of participatory processes (https://boussole-participation.cerema.fr/).
EUC’s first task was to draw up a dynamic map of stakeholders. To do this, interviews were held with various stakeholders in the water sector in the Dordogne catchment area.
Cerema’s workshop on water governance. Source: Cerema, 2025.
💪 Granollers Strengthens Water Reuse Strategy with Scientific Monitoring
In this period, and as part of activity A1.3, Granollers has drawn up the local strategy for the Sustainable Management of Regenerated Water in Granollers, based on the Target Strategy.
Within activity A2.3, the number of water samples collected at different points of the Can Cabanyes regeneration system has been increased for the analysis of different physicochemical and biological parameters, and collaboration is being carried out with the UPC in the continuous monitoring of different variables to predict risk situations in water quality.
🛰️ Tracking Progress: AMAYA Oversees Key Deliverables in Water Governance and Non-Conventional Water Use
Between February and June 2025, AMAYA has been closely following the progress of several key project activities. These include:
- A review of how water is managed in France, Spain, and Portugal, especially in times of water scarcity.
- A summary of the main findings on water governance in these three countries.
- An analysis of the areas where the TARGET Strategy could be applied next within the SUDOE region.
- A study on how people view the use of non-conventional water sources (like reclaimed water), and what conditions are needed to make combining different water uses possible and acceptable.
These efforts contribute to building a better understanding of regional water challenges and opportunities for sustainable solutions.
🗺️ From Inventory to Impact: Ecofilae Maps TARGET Strategy Opportunities
Between February and June 2025, Ecofilae conducted a study in the Dordogne catchment to better understand how water is currently used and to identify available non-conventional water sources, such as treated wastewater or rainwater.
In addition, Ecofilae created a map of areas with similar characteristics to those already involved in the TARGET project. These areas could potentially benefit from applying the TARGET Strategy’s core principles for sustainable water management. All findings have been shared with the TARGET consortium to support the project’s next steps and help guide future actions across the region.
💧 Can Cabanyes Advances
During the reporting period, significant progress was made at the Can Cabanyes site as part of the implementation and optimization of the water quality sensorization system. The following key technical interventions were carried out:
- 12 December 2024: Initial installation of the outlet system feeding pump. The pump was connected to the sensorization system and preliminary testing was conducted.
- 15 January 2025: Replacement of the initial peristaltic pump with a higher flow-rate unit to address early operational challenges and ensure stable performance.
- 4 February 2025: Installation of the inlet system feeding pump, followed by verification of hydraulic and control connections to ensure consistent sensor input flow.
- 5 March 2025: Technical training session led by the HANNA Instruments team, covering sensor operation, configuration, calibration, and maintenance protocols.
- 15 May 2025: Diagnosis and adjustment of the sensor system. Flow inconsistencies were resolved by coordinating the configuration of all three sensors. The data acquisition system was revised and updated.
- 2 June 2025: Reconfiguration of the hydraulic layout. The system was shifted from a parallel to a continuous flow setup to eliminate pressure imbalances and improve measurement accuracy across redox, conductivity, and turbidity sensors.
Water quality sensorization system. Source: UPC, 2025.
These interventions have notably enhanced the stability, precision, and operational autonomy of the monitoring infrastructure, marking a key milestone in the project’s technical implementation.
Annual meeting
🤝 TARGET’s Second Project Meeting in Granollers
Granollers, Spain – March 25-26 – The TARGET project recently convened its second consortium meeting at the unique Roca Umbert Cultural Space in Granollers, an inspiring former textile factory transformed into a vibrant innovation hub. The two-day gathering proved to be an exceptionally fruitful exchange of ideas and significant progress for the project.
Generously hosted by the Ajuntament de Granollers, the event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from:
- Consorci Besòs Tordera
- APA – Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente
- I-ReWater Interreg Sudoe
- Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB)
- IRTA
- Ajuntament de Sant Cugat del Vallès
- And environmental consultancies including Marcel Gomez and GEP – Ibérica
- Meeting Highlights:
The agenda was packed with engaging discussions and valuable insights:
- Roundtable Discussions on «Dealing with Drought»: These sessions fostered targeted, interdisciplinary exchange, allowing participants to share strategies and challenges related to water scarcity.
- Demonstrative Action Updates: Crucial updates from ongoing demonstrative actions in Spain, Portugal, and France provided a platform for enhanced cross-border learning and collaboration.
- Inspiring Field Visits:
Attendees also had the opportunity to witness innovative water management solutions firsthand:
- Can Cabanyes Park: A visit to this eco-friendly park showcased an effective solution utilizing reclaimed water for both irrigation and street cleaning, demonstrating practical urban water reuse.
- Greywater System in Sant Cugat del Vallès: Participants explored a cutting-edge greywater system that treats shower water using 0.005mm strainers, enabling the reuse of up to 3000 liters daily for toilet flushing – a testament to sustainable water practices.
- Key Working Sessions Covered:
Dedicated working sessions delved into critical aspects of water management:
- Water Governance
- Water Cartography
- Social Perception and Acceptability
The second TARGET consortium meeting was a resounding success, reinforcing the collaborative spirit and commitment to advancing sustainable water solutions across the region. Stay tuned for more updates on the TARGET project’s progress!
Results dissemination
💧 Target at the International Water Association (IWA) Webinar
📅 Date: March 20th
During this event, our colleague Lucía Poggio spoke about Social Acceptability and behavioural implementation, and how mental models affect the public’s perceptions regarding reclaimed water.
Participants in the IWA’s webinar. Source: IWA, 2025.
Featured Speakers:
- Gabriel Caldés – Water management expert with vast experience in sanitation, presenting on Policy and Innovation in Water Security.
- Cesar M. – Specialist in water technologies, showcasing Innovation in Hydraulic Machinery.
- Lucia Poggio Lagares – Social psychologist from Universidad Complutense de Madrid, discussing Social Acceptability and Behavioral Implementation.
🌿 Urban Sustainability in Lleida: A Collaborative Exchange
Lleida, Spain – March 27 – Following the consortium meeting, TARGET partners and guests from Poland, including Professors Barbara Sowińska-Świerkosz and Agnieszka Karczmarczyk, met at the Edifici CREA, University of Lleida. They joined Prof. Joan Garcia, Guillermo Iglesias, and Prof. Gabriel Pérez Luque to discuss urban sustainability innovations.
Key Visits:
- Green Roofs at CREA and the Technological Park of Lleida
- Constructed Wetland at Raimat Winery – Demonstrating nature-based industrial water treatment
📊 Contribute to Research!
Support our ongoing work by completing this survey on Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) for Water Reuse and Urban Green Space Management:
🔗 Take the Survey
Your participation is crucial in helping us gather comprehensive data and further develop sustainable urban practices.
🌐 Thematic Day – ADAPTHY Chair Event in Limoges
Limoges, France – May 15, 2025 – The Université de Limoges, in collaboration with ASTEE and Pôle Aquanova, recently hosted a significant event focused on «Maximizing the Impact of Actions in Managing the Water Transition» at the Crédit Agricole Auditorium.
The conference delved into critical areas of water management:
- Water transition in industrial settings
- Innovation in non-conventional water reuse
The event commenced with a powerful opening talk by Catherine Franck-Neel (Cerema), who emphasized the crucial need for both technological and organizational innovation in navigating the ongoing water transition. The program also featured insightful expert panels, detailed case studies, and engaging cross-sector roundtable discussions that fostered rich collaboration among participants.
Nature-Based Solutions Conference in Alcanena, Portugal
Alcanena, Portugal – May 22 – The Municipality of Alcanena and Aquanena recently hosted an event with a key focus on Nature-Based Solutions in the Water Cycle. During this important exchange, Joan Garcia from UPC presented cutting-edge innovations in water reuse. They also introduced a new alarm system for water quality, a significant development achieved within the framework of the TARGET Interreg Sudoe project.
This presentation was part of a larger expert panel that included notable figures such as Pedro Carvalho and João Joanaz de Melo, and was skillfully moderated by António Guerreiro de Brito. The session fostered valuable discussions on the future of water management.
🧪FCT-NOVA at EGWRSE 2025
Our colleague Nazaré Couto was present at the 6th International Conference on. Environmental Geotechnology, Recycled Waste Materials and Sustainable Engineering, presenting the paper Integrated electrochemical technologies for wastewater treatment and soil remediation: Tackling contaminants of emerging concern and pathogens”, achieving the prize for the best paper of the conference!
In this work, we can observe how using treated wastewater for irrigation could be a smart way to help tackle water scarcity. But to make it safe, we need to remove certain contaminants, like leftover medicines or bacteria, both from the water and the soil it touches.
To address this, two innovative technologies were tested:
🔹 Electrochemical Oxidation (EO) – used to clean treated wastewater. It successfully removed over 90% of common pharmaceutical pollutants, like sulfamethoxazole (SMX), carbamazepine (CBZ), and diclofenac (DCF), using special mesh electrodes. Different pollutants were classified by how quickly they broke down — some were easier to remove than others.
🔹 Electrokinetic Remediation (EKR) – applied directly to contaminated soil. After irrigation with treated water, some pollutants stayed in the soil for several days. EKR helped remove up to 20% more contaminants compared to doing nothing. By adjusting electric currents, researchers managed to clean the soil more evenly without harming its structure.
Nazaré Couto receiving the prize for best paper in the 6th International Conference on. Environmental Geotechnology, Recycled Waste Materials and Sustainable Engineering. Source: Nazaré Couto, 2025.
These technologies show great promise as eco-friendly, scalable solutions for treating wastewater and remediating soil — supporting both sustainable agriculture and compliance with EU regulations like 2020/741.
Next steps will focus on improving the systems, testing different setups, and understanding long-term environmental impacts.
What’s next?
The next meeting of the TARGET consortium, organized by Ecofilae, will be held in the vibrant Mediterranean city of Montpellier. Known for its historic charm, dynamic life and mix of medieval and modern architecture, this October various workshops and field trips will take place.
Experts from France, Portugal and Spain, ranging from various technical fields and different areas of knowledge, will work together in developing TARGET and share the advances that have been taking place during the year.
Source: Ennelise Napoleoni-Bianco, 2015 (https://pixabay.com/photos/montpellier-comedy-square-building-913011/).
