REWAISE project organises a workshop as part of the 19th IWA World Conference on Anaerobic Digestion (IWA AD19)

REWAISE project will come to an end on June 30, 2026. With the aim of presenting the main results relating to one of the technologies addressed in the project—specifically anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) technology— Aqualia (project coordinator) together with the University of Valencia (one of the 25 project partners) are organising a thematic workshop on this technology on June 9, within the 19th IWA World Conference on Anaerobic Digestion (IWA AD19) .

Mainstream anaerobic wastewater treatment, as AnMBR processes, offers a pathway to efficient water resource recovery-oriented systems aligned with EU 2030 goals. Technologies such as UASB and AnMBR enable high-rate treatment, solids retention, energy recovery as biomethane, and production of high-quality effluents for reuse. However, large scale adoption remains constrained by challenges including cold climate performance, dissolved methane emissions, nutrient removal and recovery requirements, and operational limitations. The workshop entitled "Mainstream anaerobic treatment in transition: lessons learned and opportunities ahead" will examine state of the art solutions, parallel processes for water and nutrient recovery, and biogas upgrading strategies. Key open questions include mitigating dissolved methane, ensuring effluent quality for reuse, and addressing nutrient management when fertigation is not feasible.

The expected outcomes of the workshop are:

1. Better understanding of the effects of low temperatures and low-strength wastewater on anaerobic process performance, stability, and methane generation potential.
2. Identification of feasible technological pathways to overcome dissolved methane challenges and reduce GHG emissions.
3. Clear guidance on how to achieve compliant water quality for various reuse scenarios using anaerobic-based treatment trains.
4. Evaluation of practical strategies for nutrient removal and/or recovery, considering local conditions and reuse opportunities.
5. Road mapping of future research and implementation needs to support mainstream anaerobic treatment adoption.

Download Workshop Program.

REWAISE is a major initiative of 4 European Water Utilities to implement technological innovations and new water governance methods. REWAISE engages a network of living labs across Europe in three different climate zones (Mediterranean, Atlantic and Continental) to test technological innovations in real water environments to develop specific solutions that are then implemented under a common methodology. The project has deployed several pilots to tackle key issues in improving water management efficiency. 

Rewaise project concept and deployment

All this progress is coordinated with the other four EU co-funded initiatives within H2020 SC5-04-2019 call, grouped in a cluster baptised as Circular Smart Economy for Water (CirSEau). Three working groups were created to identify common methodologies for boosting i) Stakeholder engagement, ii) Communications, and iii) Impact and KPI assessment. Joint sessions were also held with the European Research Executive Agency (REA) to garner policy feedback for water directives.